Letters to the Editor: Generational cigarette ban should be extended

Future generations will be banned from buying cigarettes - should cannabis follow suit? Photo / NZME

I was pleased to see the Government is going to ban the sale of cigarettes to our children under 14 years of age (News, December 10).

Clearly, it is our parliamentary leaders signalling to all of us that protecting the health and wellbeing of our children is fundamental to a healthy society.

However, I do hope that the ban includes cannabis, as there is at least one politician trying to liberalise the laws surrounding cannabis.

The destruction of the lives of our young or even older people is something that haunts our society and, in my view, does nothing but dumbs down their brains, so they never reach their full potential.

Worse still it is a gateway drug and with the great variety of mind-altering drugs being pushed for profit by those who should know better, we are developing an unhealthy druggie underclass.

Let's ensure we protect our children so they can grow up to healthy adulthood.

Margaret Murray-Benge
Bethlehem

Social credit system needed

Mark Lister in your paper warns mortgage holders could soon be in for a nasty shock within the next 12 months and an eventful period with rapid inflation and higher interest rates on the way.

He is so right.

Australian banks have made huge profits and even the CEO of one bank got a $1 million bonus.

Inflated house prices have given a high loan portfolio and increased periods of those loans for years to come on their books.

Inflation can drive people at the bottom to poverty, estate building and slum areas and therefore we must change to a more social credit system which they have been warning us of for many years.

GV Shuter
Rotorua

Question of faith

I read Ian Young's letter (December 7) with interest because I too have been amazed and saddened by the accent placed on our new Nat Party leader's Christian faith.

What has happened to our country and its standard at morals and spirituality when faith in a living God can cause so much questionable publicity?

It obviously behooves us all of like-minded belief to uphold Christopher Luxon in prayer as he works for the country in such an apparent alien atmosphere.

Eileen Shapley
Rotorua

The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters from readers. Please note the following:

• Letters should not exceed 200 words.

• They should be opinion based on facts or current events.

• If possible, please email.

• No noms de plume.

• Letters will be published with names and suburb/city.

• Please include full name, address and contact details for our records only.

• Local letter writers given preference.

• Rejected letters are not normally acknowledged.

• Letters may be edited, abridged, or rejected at the Editor's discretion.

• The Editor's decision on publication is final. No correspondence will be entered into.

Email editor@bayofplentytimes.co.nz