{"id":147243,"date":"2011-03-16T12:30:22","date_gmt":"2011-03-16T12:30:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/"},"modified":"2024-11-25T17:12:46","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T17:12:46","slug":"youve-got-to-be-kidding-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/","title":{"rendered":"You&#8217;ve got to be kidding me?"},"content":{"rendered":"    <section  class=\"container container--large article-container\">\n            <div class=\"article \">\n            <div class=\"article__sidebar\">\n                <div class=\"sidebar-inner-section author\">\n                    <div class=\"author__avatar\">\n                                                                                                            <img decoding=\"async\"\n     src=\"https:\/\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/16103712\/author-john-dicey-200x200.jpeg\"\n             srcset=\"https:\/\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/16103712\/author-john-dicey-50x50.jpeg 360w,\n             https:\/\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/16103712\/author-john-dicey-100x100.jpeg 768w,\n             https:\/\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/16103712\/author-john-dicey-200x200.jpeg 1440w,\n             https:\/\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/16103712\/author-john-dicey.jpeg 2000w\"\n             alt=\"\"\n               \/>                                            <\/div>\n                    <span class=\"sidebar-sub-title\">Written By<\/span>\n                    <a class=\"u-text-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/authors\/john-dicey\/\" title=\"John Dicey Bio\">\n                        <h5 class=\"author__author\">John Dicey<\/h5>\n                    <\/a>\n                                                                <h6 class=\"author__title sidebar-content\">Former Global Chief Executive Officer &#038; Senior Facilitator<\/h6>\n                                    <\/div>\n                                                    <div class=\"sidebar-inner-section\">\n                        <span class=\"sidebar-sub-title\">Reviewed by<\/span>\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/authors\/paul-baker\/\" title=\"Paul Baker, BSc (Hons) Bio\">\n                            <p class=\"sidebar-content\">Paul Baker, BSc (Hons)<\/p>\n                        <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n                                <div class=\"sidebar-inner-section\">\n                    <span class=\"sidebar-sub-title\">Published<\/span>\n                                        <p class=\"sidebar-content\">16 March 2011<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"sidebar-inner-section\">\n                    <span class=\"sidebar-sub-title\">Last Updated<\/span>\n                    <p class=\"sidebar-content\">\n                        22 July 2024\n                    <\/p>\n                <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"sidebar-inner-section\">\n                        <span class=\"sidebar-sub-title\">Issues<\/span>\n                        <div class=\"article-categories\">\n                                                                                                <a class=\"article-category\" href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/addictions\/smoking\/\">Smoking<\/a>\n                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                                                    <div class=\"sidebar-inner-section\">\n                        <span class=\"sidebar-sub-title\">Topics<\/span>\n                        <div class=\"article-categories\">\n                                                                                                                                                            <a class=\"article-category\" href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/addictions\/smoking\/smoking-facts\/\">Smoking Facts<\/a>\n                                                                                                                                <a class=\"article-category\" href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/addictions\/smoking\/smoking-health\/\">Smoking Health<\/a>\n                                                                                                                                <a class=\"article-category\" href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/addictions\/smoking\/smoking-in-the-news\/\">Smoking In the News<\/a>\n                                                                                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                                <div class=\"sidebar-inner-section\">\n                    <span class=\"sidebar-sub-title\">Share this article<\/span>\n                    <ul class=\"social-list\">\n            <li class=\"social-list__item\">\n            <a class=\"social-list__item-link\"\n               href=\"\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/\"\n               onclick=\"window.open(this.href, 'share popup','left=20,top=20,width=500,height=360,toolbar=1,resizable=0'); return false;\"\n               rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"\n               target=\"_blank\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/themes\/allen-carr\/public\/dist\/svgs\/social-facebook-fill.svg\" alt=\"Share to Facebook\"\/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/li>\n                <li class=\"social-list__item\">\n            <a class=\"social-list__item-link\"\n               href=\"\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/&#038;text=You&#8217;ve got to be kidding me?\"\n               onclick=\"window.open(this.href, 'share popup','left=20,top=20,width=500,height=360,toolbar=1,resizable=0'); return false;\"\n               rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"\n               target=\"_blank\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/themes\/allen-carr\/public\/dist\/svgs\/social-twitter-fill.svg\" alt=\"Share to Twitter\"\/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/li>\n        \n        \n    <li class=\"social-list__item\">\n        <a class=\"social-list__item-link\"\n            href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/\"\n            data-behaviour=\"copy-link\" title=\"Click to copy\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/themes\/allen-carr\/public\/dist\/svgs\/social-sharelink-fill.svg\" alt=\"Copy link to clipboard\"\/>\n        <\/a>\n    <\/li>\n<\/ul>                <\/div>\n\n                            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"article__content\">\n                <h1 class=\"article__title\">You&#8217;ve got to be kidding me?<\/h1>\n\n                \n                                                    <p class=\"article__excerpt\">In a recent trading standards exercise in Cumbria, UK, just under 10% of shops tested sold a child cigarettes. However, Trading Standards claim to be \u201cpleased the majority of off-licenses and shops, had passed the test.\u201d<\/p>\n                \n                \n                                                            <div class=\"article__image\">\n                                                                                    <img decoding=\"async\"\n     src=\"https:\/\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/06175258\/trading-standards-logo.svg\"\n          alt=\"\"\n               \/>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                    \n                <div class=\"u-show-mobile article-social-bar\">\n                    <span class=\"sidebar-sub-title\">Share this article<\/span>\n                    <ul class=\"social-list\">\n            <li class=\"social-list__item\">\n            <a class=\"social-list__item-link\"\n               href=\"\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/\"\n               onclick=\"window.open(this.href, 'share popup','left=20,top=20,width=500,height=360,toolbar=1,resizable=0'); return false;\"\n               rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"\n               target=\"_blank\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/themes\/allen-carr\/public\/dist\/svgs\/social-facebook-fill.svg\" alt=\"Share to Facebook\"\/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/li>\n                <li class=\"social-list__item\">\n            <a class=\"social-list__item-link\"\n               href=\"\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/&#038;text=You&#8217;ve got to be kidding me?\"\n               onclick=\"window.open(this.href, 'share popup','left=20,top=20,width=500,height=360,toolbar=1,resizable=0'); return false;\"\n               rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"\n               target=\"_blank\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/themes\/allen-carr\/public\/dist\/svgs\/social-twitter-fill.svg\" alt=\"Share to Twitter\"\/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/li>\n        \n        \n    <li class=\"social-list__item\">\n        <a class=\"social-list__item-link\"\n            href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/\"\n            data-behaviour=\"copy-link\" title=\"Click to copy\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/themes\/allen-carr\/public\/dist\/svgs\/social-sharelink-fill.svg\" alt=\"Copy link to clipboard\"\/>\n        <\/a>\n    <\/li>\n<\/ul>                <\/div>\n\n                \n                \n                \n                \n\n<p><p>How low have our expectations sunk in order for us to be \u201cpleased\u201d that only 10% of shops that were tested failed. Is this the same reaction with which we might greet news that merely 10% of our street corners are occupied by crack cocaine and heroin pushers, or that just 10% of houses in our street get burgled, or that just under 10% of people coming home from work get mugged each evening? All the latter examples are fictitious of course \u2013 it\u2019s a shame that the Trading Standards story is not.<\/p> <span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">Having said that \u2013 most youngsters are more than capable of obtaining anything from crack cocaine to heroin these days, regardless of where they live, so one wonders how much of a challenge obtaining cigarettes presents them anyway. Equally one wonders whether the proposed banning of colors and branding on cigarette packs will prove remotely useful. I suspect that the tobacco industry will find elegant solutions to overcome that in the same way they have tended to for decades. If anyone hadn\u2019t noticed, in spite of decades of apparently \u201csuccessful\u201d anti-tobacco action by so called experts, smoking amongst youngsters is still on the increase.<\/span> <p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/uk-england-cumbria-12735850\">Read about the Trading Standards story here<\/a><\/p><br><br><\/p>\n\n\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <\/section>\n\n    <section class=\"related-articles u-background-white article-related-articles\">\n                \n                            \n                \n        <h3 class=\"related-articles__title u-text-center\">\n            Up next&#8230;\n        <\/h3>\n\n        <div class=\"container related-articles__container\">\n                                                                            <div class=\"article-preview article-preview--standard_altern u-hover-state\">\n    <div class=\"article-preview__columns article-preview__columns--standard_altern\">\n        <div class=\"article-preview__column article-preview__column--standard_altern\">\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/easyway-stop-smoking\/the-easyway-to-quit-smoking-a-new-performance\/\" alt=\"article url\">\n                <div class=\"article-preview__image-wrap u-image-absolute\">\n                                                                                            <img decoding=\"async\"\n     src=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/PXL_20260208_200523309.PORTRAIT-scaled-e1770887636471.jpg\"\n             srcset=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/PXL_20260208_200523309.PORTRAIT-scaled-e1770887636471.jpg 360w,\n             https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/PXL_20260208_200523309.PORTRAIT-scaled-e1770887636471.jpg 768w,\n             https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/PXL_20260208_200523309.PORTRAIT-scaled-e1770887636471.jpg 1440w,\n             https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/PXL_20260208_200523309.PORTRAIT-scaled-e1770887636471.jpg 2000w\"\n             alt=\"\"\n               \/>                                    <\/div>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"article-preview__column article-preview__column--standard_altern\">\n            <div class=\"article-preview__post-info article-preview__post-info--standard_altern\">\n                <div class=\"article-preview__taxonomy-terms\">\n                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/addictions\/smoking\/smoking-in-the-news\/\" class=\"type-category term-primary\" alt=\"category term\">\n                            Smoking In the News\n                        <\/a>\n                                    <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"article-preview__date-wrap\">\n                    <span>\n                        May 2026\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n\n            <div class=\"article-preview__title-wrap\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/easyway-stop-smoking\/the-easyway-to-quit-smoking-a-new-performance\/\" alt=\"article url\">\n                    <h3 class=\"article-preview__title\">\n                        The Easyway to Quit Smoking: A New Performance\n                    <\/h3>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n\n            <div class=\"article-preview__description-wrap\">\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n                            <div class=\"article-preview__readtime\">\n                    <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><path fill=\"none\" d=\"M0 0h20v20H0z\"\/><path d=\"M10 2c4.42 0 8 3.58 8 8s-3.58 8-8 8-8-3.58-8-8 3.58-8 8-8m0 14c3.31 0 6-2.69 6-6s-2.69-6-6-6-6 2.69-6 6 2.69 6 6 6m-.71-5.29c.07.05.14.1.23.15l-.02.02L14 13l-3.03-3.19L10 5l-.97 4.81h.01c0 .02-.01.05-.02.09S9 9.97 9 10c0 .28.1.52.29.71\"\/><\/svg>\n                    <span>1 minute read<\/span>\n                <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n                                                                            <div class=\"article-preview article-preview--standard_altern u-hover-state\">\n    <div class=\"article-preview__columns article-preview__columns--standard_altern\">\n        <div class=\"article-preview__column article-preview__column--standard_altern\">\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/easyway-stop-smoking\/lords-committee-stage-of-the-tobacco-and-vapes-bill\/\" alt=\"article url\">\n                <div class=\"article-preview__image-wrap u-image-absolute\">\n                                                                                            <img decoding=\"async\"\n     src=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-14-at-10.37.16-1.png\"\n             srcset=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-14-at-10.37.16-1.png 360w,\n             https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-14-at-10.37.16-1.png 768w,\n             https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-14-at-10.37.16-1.png 1440w,\n             https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-14-at-10.37.16-1.png 2000w\"\n             alt=\"\"\n               \/>                                    <\/div>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"article-preview__column article-preview__column--standard_altern\">\n            <div class=\"article-preview__post-info article-preview__post-info--standard_altern\">\n                <div class=\"article-preview__taxonomy-terms\">\n                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/addictions\/smoking\/smoking-in-the-news\/\" class=\"type-category term-primary\" alt=\"category term\">\n                            Smoking In the News\n                        <\/a>\n                                    <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"article-preview__date-wrap\">\n                    <span>\n                        May 2026\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n\n            <div class=\"article-preview__title-wrap\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/easyway-stop-smoking\/lords-committee-stage-of-the-tobacco-and-vapes-bill\/\" alt=\"article url\">\n                    <h3 class=\"article-preview__title\">\n                        Lords Committee\u00a0Stage of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill\n                    <\/h3>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n\n            <div class=\"article-preview__description-wrap\">\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n                            <div class=\"article-preview__readtime\">\n                    <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><path fill=\"none\" d=\"M0 0h20v20H0z\"\/><path d=\"M10 2c4.42 0 8 3.58 8 8s-3.58 8-8 8-8-3.58-8-8 3.58-8 8-8m0 14c3.31 0 6-2.69 6-6s-2.69-6-6-6-6 2.69-6 6 2.69 6 6 6m-.71-5.29c.07.05.14.1.23.15l-.02.02L14 13l-3.03-3.19L10 5l-.97 4.81h.01c0 .02-.01.05-.02.09S9 9.97 9 10c0 .28.1.52.29.71\"\/><\/svg>\n                    <span>2 minute read<\/span>\n                <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n                                                                            <div class=\"article-preview article-preview--standard_altern u-hover-state\">\n    <div class=\"article-preview__columns article-preview__columns--standard_altern\">\n        <div class=\"article-preview__column article-preview__column--standard_altern\">\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/celebrating-our-1000-prize-draw-winner-for-2025\/\" alt=\"article url\">\n                <div class=\"article-preview__image-wrap u-image-absolute\">\n                                                                                            <img decoding=\"async\"\n     src=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/giorgio-trovato-_XTY6lD8jgM-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg\"\n             srcset=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/giorgio-trovato-_XTY6lD8jgM-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg 360w,\n             https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/giorgio-trovato-_XTY6lD8jgM-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg 768w,\n             https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/giorgio-trovato-_XTY6lD8jgM-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg 1440w,\n             https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/giorgio-trovato-_XTY6lD8jgM-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg 2000w\"\n             alt=\"\"\n               \/>                                    <\/div>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"article-preview__column article-preview__column--standard_altern\">\n            <div class=\"article-preview__post-info article-preview__post-info--standard_altern\">\n                <div class=\"article-preview__taxonomy-terms\">\n                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/addictions\/smoking\/smoking-in-the-news\/\" class=\"type-category term-primary\" alt=\"category term\">\n                            Smoking In the News\n                        <\/a>\n                                    <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"article-preview__date-wrap\">\n                    <span>\n                        May 2026\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n\n            <div class=\"article-preview__title-wrap\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/celebrating-our-1000-prize-draw-winner-for-2025\/\" alt=\"article url\">\n                    <h3 class=\"article-preview__title\">\n                        Celebrating our \u00a31,000 prize draw winner for 2025!\n                    <\/h3>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n\n            <div class=\"article-preview__description-wrap\">\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n                            <div class=\"article-preview__readtime\">\n                    <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><path fill=\"none\" d=\"M0 0h20v20H0z\"\/><path d=\"M10 2c4.42 0 8 3.58 8 8s-3.58 8-8 8-8-3.58-8-8 3.58-8 8-8m0 14c3.31 0 6-2.69 6-6s-2.69-6-6-6-6 2.69-6 6 2.69 6 6 6m-.71-5.29c.07.05.14.1.23.15l-.02.02L14 13l-3.03-3.19L10 5l-.97 4.81h.01c0 .02-.01.05-.02.09S9 9.97 9 10c0 .28.1.52.29.71\"\/><\/svg>\n                    <span>8 minute read<\/span>\n                <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n                                                                            <div class=\"article-preview article-preview--standard_altern u-hover-state\">\n    <div class=\"article-preview__columns article-preview__columns--standard_altern\">\n        <div class=\"article-preview__column article-preview__column--standard_altern\">\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/easyway-stop-smoking\/the-cost-of-tobacco-over-7-million-lives-lost-worldwide-in-2023\/\" alt=\"article url\">\n                <div class=\"article-preview__image-wrap u-image-absolute\">\n                                                                                            <img decoding=\"async\"\n     src=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/haim-charbit-KThe9Aw7IFk-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg\"\n             srcset=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/haim-charbit-KThe9Aw7IFk-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg 360w,\n             https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/haim-charbit-KThe9Aw7IFk-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg 768w,\n             https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/haim-charbit-KThe9Aw7IFk-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg 1440w,\n             https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/haim-charbit-KThe9Aw7IFk-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg 2000w\"\n             alt=\"tobacco exposure\"\n               \/>                                    <\/div>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"article-preview__column article-preview__column--standard_altern\">\n            <div class=\"article-preview__post-info article-preview__post-info--standard_altern\">\n                <div class=\"article-preview__taxonomy-terms\">\n                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/addictions\/smoking\/smoking-in-the-news\/\" class=\"type-category term-primary\" alt=\"category term\">\n                            Smoking In the News\n                        <\/a>\n                                    <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"article-preview__date-wrap\">\n                    <span>\n                        May 2026\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n\n            <div class=\"article-preview__title-wrap\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/easyway-stop-smoking\/the-cost-of-tobacco-over-7-million-lives-lost-worldwide-in-2023\/\" alt=\"article url\">\n                    <h3 class=\"article-preview__title\">\n                        The Cost of Tobacco: Over 7 Million Lives Lost Worldwide&#8230;\n                    <\/h3>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n\n            <div class=\"article-preview__description-wrap\">\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n                            <div class=\"article-preview__readtime\">\n                    <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><path fill=\"none\" d=\"M0 0h20v20H0z\"\/><path d=\"M10 2c4.42 0 8 3.58 8 8s-3.58 8-8 8-8-3.58-8-8 3.58-8 8-8m0 14c3.31 0 6-2.69 6-6s-2.69-6-6-6-6 2.69-6 6 2.69 6 6 6m-.71-5.29c.07.05.14.1.23.15l-.02.02L14 13l-3.03-3.19L10 5l-.97 4.81h.01c0 .02-.01.05-.02.09S9 9.97 9 10c0 .28.1.52.29.71\"\/><\/svg>\n                    <span>2 minute read<\/span>\n                <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a recent trading standards exercise in Cumbria, UK, just under 10% of shops tested sold a child cigarettes. However, Trading Standards claim to be \u201cpleased the majority of off-licenses and shops, had passed the test.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":144103,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[645,693,689,690],"tags":[],"addiction":[28],"country":[],"class_list":["post-147243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-smoking","category-smoking-facts","category-smoking-health","category-smoking-in-the-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>You&#039;ve got to be kidding me? - Allen Carr&#039;s Easyway<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In a recent trading standards exercise in Cumbria, UK, just under 10% of shops tested sold a child cigarettes. However, Trading Standards claim to be \u201cpleased the majority of off-licenses and shops, had passed the test.\u201d\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"You&#039;ve got to be kidding me? - Allen Carr&#039;s Easyway\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In a recent trading standards exercise in Cumbria, UK, just under 10% of shops tested sold a child cigarettes. However, Trading Standards claim to be \u201cpleased the majority of off-licenses and shops, had passed the test.\u201d\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Allen Carr&#039;s Easyway\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2011-03-16T12:30:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-11-25T17:12:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"super.user\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@allencarr\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@allencarr\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"super.user\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/articles\\\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/articles\\\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"super.user\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b9a090f65ea59b63f8637876f2e0e927\"},\"headline\":\"You&#8217;ve got to be kidding me?\",\"datePublished\":\"2011-03-16T12:30:22+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-11-25T17:12:46+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/articles\\\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":207,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/articles\\\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2011\\\/03\\\/06175258\\\/trading-standards-logo.svg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Smoking\",\"Smoking Facts\",\"Smoking Health\",\"Smoking In the News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/articles\\\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/articles\\\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\\\/\",\"name\":\"You've got to be kidding me? - Allen Carr&#039;s Easyway\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/articles\\\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/articles\\\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2011\\\/03\\\/06175258\\\/trading-standards-logo.svg\",\"datePublished\":\"2011-03-16T12:30:22+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-11-25T17:12:46+00:00\",\"description\":\"In a recent trading standards exercise in Cumbria, UK, just under 10% of shops tested sold a child cigarettes. However, Trading Standards claim to be \u201cpleased the majority of off-licenses and shops, had passed the test.\u201d\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/articles\\\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/articles\\\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/articles\\\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2011\\\/03\\\/06175258\\\/trading-standards-logo.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2011\\\/03\\\/06175258\\\/trading-standards-logo.svg\",\"width\":180,\"height\":130},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/articles\\\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"You&#8217;ve got to be kidding&hellip;\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/\",\"name\":\"Allen Carr&#039;s Easyway\",\"description\":\"International\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Allen Carr's Easyway\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/12\\\/08154955\\\/favicon.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/12\\\/08154955\\\/favicon.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"Allen Carr's Easyway\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/allencarr\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b9a090f65ea59b63f8637876f2e0e927\",\"name\":\"John Dicey\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/allen-carr.test\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.allencarr.com\\\/en-us\\\/authors\\\/john-dicey\\\/\",\"image\":{\"caption\":\"John Dicey\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/02\\\/16103712\\\/author-john-dicey.jpeg\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"You've got to be kidding me? - Allen Carr&#039;s Easyway","description":"In a recent trading standards exercise in Cumbria, UK, just under 10% of shops tested sold a child cigarettes. However, Trading Standards claim to be \u201cpleased the majority of off-licenses and shops, had passed the test.\u201d","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"You've got to be kidding me? - Allen Carr&#039;s Easyway","og_description":"In a recent trading standards exercise in Cumbria, UK, just under 10% of shops tested sold a child cigarettes. However, Trading Standards claim to be \u201cpleased the majority of off-licenses and shops, had passed the test.\u201d","og_url":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/","og_site_name":"Allen Carr&#039;s Easyway","article_published_time":"2011-03-16T12:30:22+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-11-25T17:12:46+00:00","author":"super.user","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@allencarr","twitter_site":"@allencarr","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"super.user","Est. reading time":"1 minute"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/"},"author":{"name":"super.user","@id":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/#\/schema\/person\/b9a090f65ea59b63f8637876f2e0e927"},"headline":"You&#8217;ve got to be kidding me?","datePublished":"2011-03-16T12:30:22+00:00","dateModified":"2024-11-25T17:12:46+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/"},"wordCount":207,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/06175258\/trading-standards-logo.svg","articleSection":["Smoking","Smoking Facts","Smoking Health","Smoking In the News"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/","url":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/","name":"You've got to be kidding me? - Allen Carr&#039;s Easyway","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/06175258\/trading-standards-logo.svg","datePublished":"2011-03-16T12:30:22+00:00","dateModified":"2024-11-25T17:12:46+00:00","description":"In a recent trading standards exercise in Cumbria, UK, just under 10% of shops tested sold a child cigarettes. However, Trading Standards claim to be \u201cpleased the majority of off-licenses and shops, had passed the test.\u201d","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/06175258\/trading-standards-logo.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/06175258\/trading-standards-logo.svg","width":180,"height":130},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/articles\/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"You&#8217;ve got to be kidding&hellip;"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/","name":"Allen Carr&#039;s Easyway","description":"International","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/#organization","name":"Allen Carr's Easyway","url":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/08154955\/favicon.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/08154955\/favicon.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"Allen Carr's Easyway"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/x.com\/allencarr"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/#\/schema\/person\/b9a090f65ea59b63f8637876f2e0e927","name":"John Dicey","sameAs":["https:\/\/allen-carr.test"],"url":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/authors\/john-dicey\/","image":{"caption":"John Dicey","url":"https:\/\/allen-carr-live.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/16103712\/author-john-dicey.jpeg"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147243","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=147243"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147243\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/144103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=147243"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=147243"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=147243"},{"taxonomy":"addiction","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/addiction?post=147243"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.allencarr.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=147243"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}