# FILE NAME: 00001667.soc
# TITLE: Do we need a law banning the smoking of cigarettes? [ed326d093668fefd7da2d90aeb3655e1]
# DESCRIPTION: 
# DATA TYPE: soc
# MODIFICATION TYPE: original
# RELATES TO: 
# RELATED FILES: 
# PUBLICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# MODIFICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# NUMBER ALTERNATIVES: 4
# NUMBER VOTERS: 5
# NUMBER UNIQUE ORDERS: 4
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 1: Statement 1 - Final consensus statement: The participants agreed that smoking can have a serious impact on someone's health and can cause lung cancer and heart disease. It can also impact health services as it increases pressure on the healthcare system. It was also discussed that as people get older they are likely to develop conditions related to smoking which means that smoking related illnesses are then more expensive to cure.  It was also agreed that some people may have to pay out of their own pocket as they have to pay for their treatment on an individual basis, some of which can be very expensive. This is why it is important for young people not to smoke as they are likely to become ill in later life as a result of smoking. Banning cigarettes is also good because it will impact the amount of money the government makes from tax as a result of the reduced purchase of cigarettes. It was also discussed that another reason to have a ban is that banning cigarettes will make it more difficult for children to smoke as they will not be able to purchase cigarettes in the shops. It was also agreed that less people will smoke in the future if there is a ban on them.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 2: Statement 2 - Although there are good reasons to ban the smoking of cigarettes, including the negative impact that smoking can have on health, families and health services, it is the opinion of the group that it should not be banned. This is because there are also many reasons why it should not be banned. This includes the fact that it would have a negative impact on the economy, as the government would lose money from taxes on cigarettes, and also because it would cause people to buy cigarettes on the black market.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 3: Statement 3 - Smoking is very bad for your health and can have a negative impact on family and health services. The group discussed that there are many reasons why smoking is a problem, for example, people can develop lung cancer, heart disease, and have a higher chance of suffering from a stroke. This puts pressure on health services, especially if the person has not developed health insurance. It also impacts the families of people who smoke, as they could have to pay for healthcare for their family member, or they could also have to pay for funeral costs if they pass away.  It was also discussed that there are many reasons why smoking should be banned, for example, to protect children from being influenced to smoke. The group did however come to the consensus that although they would like a ban, there are a few reasons why it shouldn’t happen. It was noted that it could have a negative effect on the economy, for example, the government will lose money from taxes on cigarettes, which they would lose in turn. Also, as it was discussed, many people would buy cigarettes on the black market, and this could also cause the government to lose money from tax.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 4: Statement 4 - Final consensus statement: It was agreed that smoking can have a negative impact on health and health services, therefore we do need to find ways to ban it. It is however likely that people will still be able to buy them on the black market, which could impact the economy.
2: 1,3,4,2
1: 3,4,1,2
1: 2,1,3,4
1: 2,3,1,4