OK...so I'm not British, but we're actually talking about this in the states a lot, and I've been watching this thread for a few days. Got a little over 30 pages in and had to skip ahead to preserve my sanity, but here goes:
Madog: Dude...what? First off, it's pretty clear from the language in the law you linked that they're targeting advertisements and nothing else. The idea that more rights will follow if we don't let vape vendors advertise to the public is a bit of a slippery slope fallacy. Is that a restriction on freedom of speech? Maybe for people who want to sell you vape pens on TV, but for anyone else the law is practically irrelevant.
I also noticed you mention free speech in America, which leads me to believe that there are some things about America that you don't actually know.
America actually restricts free speech in advertising in much the same way. It's actually illegal to advertise cigarettes via certain media (TV definitely, not sure what else), and it used to be illegal to advertise alcohol on TV. I'm also pretty sure you can't advertise drink specials on the outside of buildings, but I think that might go by state (so for instance my restaurant can't put a sign out front that says when happy hour is and what drinks are on special, but I can hang that sign inside and it's not illegal any more). So yeah...when it comes to free speech in advertising, we're not that different from you.
Bella: I really don't get what you're so excited about. Britain did not regain any sovereignty, at least not practically. In fact, they probably lost some. Why, you ask?
Well, they're still gonna have to trade with countries in the EU (probably), which means they're going to have to make trade agreements with EU countries, among other things. Countries that are in Europe and want to trade with EU countries generally still have to accept and work with most of the trade regulations the EU writes, but they don't get a say in them. By putting itself in that position, Britain will most likely have to deal with and even follow some EU laws, but they no longer get a hand in writing them. That's not really a gain of sovereignty, in my opinion.
Everyone: boy, what a mess. From the outside, it looks like old people and conservatives just got together and selfishly, shortsightedly said "fuck you we don't need it" to all the young people who would have benefited most from being EU citizens. That is monumentally shitty. I guess I think of everywhere in the 1st world as being more progressive than America, so to see elderly, conservative people fuck a whole generation over in a country that isn't America is a little weird to me, I guess.
Madog: Dude...what? First off, it's pretty clear from the language in the law you linked that they're targeting advertisements and nothing else. The idea that more rights will follow if we don't let vape vendors advertise to the public is a bit of a slippery slope fallacy. Is that a restriction on freedom of speech? Maybe for people who want to sell you vape pens on TV, but for anyone else the law is practically irrelevant.
I also noticed you mention free speech in America, which leads me to believe that there are some things about America that you don't actually know.
America actually restricts free speech in advertising in much the same way. It's actually illegal to advertise cigarettes via certain media (TV definitely, not sure what else), and it used to be illegal to advertise alcohol on TV. I'm also pretty sure you can't advertise drink specials on the outside of buildings, but I think that might go by state (so for instance my restaurant can't put a sign out front that says when happy hour is and what drinks are on special, but I can hang that sign inside and it's not illegal any more). So yeah...when it comes to free speech in advertising, we're not that different from you.
Bella: I really don't get what you're so excited about. Britain did not regain any sovereignty, at least not practically. In fact, they probably lost some. Why, you ask?
Well, they're still gonna have to trade with countries in the EU (probably), which means they're going to have to make trade agreements with EU countries, among other things. Countries that are in Europe and want to trade with EU countries generally still have to accept and work with most of the trade regulations the EU writes, but they don't get a say in them. By putting itself in that position, Britain will most likely have to deal with and even follow some EU laws, but they no longer get a hand in writing them. That's not really a gain of sovereignty, in my opinion.
Everyone: boy, what a mess. From the outside, it looks like old people and conservatives just got together and selfishly, shortsightedly said "fuck you we don't need it" to all the young people who would have benefited most from being EU citizens. That is monumentally shitty. I guess I think of everywhere in the 1st world as being more progressive than America, so to see elderly, conservative people fuck a whole generation over in a country that isn't America is a little weird to me, I guess.
Verbatim from the mouth of Jesus (retranslated from a retranslation of a copy of a copy):
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you too will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. How can you see your brother's head up his ass when your own vision is darkened by your head being even further up your ass? How can you say to your brother, 'Get your head out of your ass,' when all the time your head is up your own ass? You hypocrite! First take your head out of your own ass, and then you will see clearly who has his head up his ass and who doesn't." Matthew 7:1-5 (also Luke 6: 41-42)
Also, I has a website: www.RedbeardThePink.com
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you too will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. How can you see your brother's head up his ass when your own vision is darkened by your head being even further up your ass? How can you say to your brother, 'Get your head out of your ass,' when all the time your head is up your own ass? You hypocrite! First take your head out of your own ass, and then you will see clearly who has his head up his ass and who doesn't." Matthew 7:1-5 (also Luke 6: 41-42)
Also, I has a website: www.RedbeardThePink.com
