自動售貨機，年輕人和吸煙：禁令時代的揮之不去的問題

儘管即將在煙草自動售貨機上進行禁令，但仍然擔心年輕人獲得香煙的機會。 LAX的執法和公眾意願幫助青少年獲取代幣為該問題做出了貢獻。

Yo, what's up, New York! Let's talk about something that's been bugging me for a while: vending machines, young people, and smoking. It's a combo that should be ancient history, but somehow, it's still kicking around. Even with bans on the horizon, the lingering effects are still around, and honestly, it's giving me a headache.

喲，怎麼了，紐約！讓我們談談一段時間困擾著我的事情：自動售貨機，年輕人和吸煙。這是一個應該是古老的歷史的組合，但是不知何故，它仍在踢開。即使禁止禁止，揮之不去的效果仍然存在，老實說，這讓我頭疼。

The Vending Machine Loophole

自動售貨機漏洞

So, here's the deal. There's this research out of Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) that shines a light on how easy it is for kids to get their hands on cigarettes, even with all these regulations. Apparently, vending machines are a real 'weak spot.' Like, seriously? In this day and age?

所以，這是交易。香農技術大學（TUS）的這項研究闡明了孩子們可以輕鬆地吸引香煙，即使使用了所有這些法規。顯然，自動售貨機是一個真正的“弱點”。就像，認真嗎？在這個時代？

The token system, meant to prevent underage purchases, is basically a joke. One in eight adults would happily buy a token for a 17-year-old, and some would even help kids as young as 13! It's wild, right? What are we even doing here?

旨在防止未成年人購買的代幣系統基本上是個玩笑。八分之一的成年人會很樂意為17歲的孩子購買一個令牌，甚至有些人甚至會幫助13歲以下的孩子！野性，對吧？我們甚至在這裡做什麼？

Lax Enforcement: The Real Culprit

LAX執法：真正的罪魁禍首

The problem isn't just the vending machines themselves, but the fact that nobody seems to be enforcing the rules. As Dr. Frank Houghton from TUS puts it, there's a 'long history of lax regulatory enforcement' in Ireland. A ban means nothing if it's not properly enforced.

這個問題不僅是自動售貨機本身，而且似乎沒有人似乎正在執行規則。正如Tus的弗蘭克·霍頓（Frank Houghton）所說，愛爾蘭有一個“悠久的監管執法歷史”。如果禁令沒有適當執行，則一無所有。

Think about it: They're banning vending machines later this month (September 2029), but what's stopping kids from getting cigarettes elsewhere? Are we really tackling the root of the problem, or just putting on a show?

想想一下：他們在本月晚些時候（2029年9月）禁止自動售貨機，但是什麼阻止孩子們在其他地方吸煙？我們真的在解決問題的根源，還是只是在演出？

Why This Matters

為什麼這很重要

Look, I get it. People are busy. But when we're talking about the health of young people, we can't afford to be so chill. Smoking is a nasty habit, and the earlier someone starts, the harder it is to quit. We need to protect our kids, not enable them.

看，我明白了。人們很忙。但是，當我們談論年輕人的健康狀況時，我們就不能讓他們如此寒意。吸煙是一個討厭的習慣，越早開始，戒菸就越難以退出。我們需要保護我們的孩子，而不是啟用他們。

And it’s not just about physical health. There is also the lure of crypto, where even meme coins like Smoking Chicken Fish, a crypto tied to a real church in Texas, can hook young people with promises of fast cash. It's another way young people are tempted by potentially unhealthy lifestyles.

這不僅與身體健康有關。還有加密貨幣的誘餌，即使是模因硬幣，例如吸煙雞魚，是與德克薩斯州一座真正的教堂相關的加密貨幣，也可以使年輕人擁有快速現金的承諾。這是年輕人被潛在不健康的生活方式所吸引的另一種方式。

My Two Cents

我的兩分錢

Here's my take: We need to get serious about enforcement. Fine the stores that sell to minors. Crack down on adults who buy tokens for kids. Make it clear that this is not okay. And while we are at it, let’s make sure we understand the effects of things like crypto on young people's habits.

這是我的看法：我們需要認真對待執法。罰款出售給未成年人的商店。打擊為兒童購買代幣的成年人。明確說明這是不好的。當我們這樣做時，讓我們確保我們了解加密貨幣對年輕人習慣的影響。

The Bottom Line

底線

Alright, folks, that's the lowdown. Vending machines might be on their way out, but the fight against underage smoking is far from over. Let's keep the pressure on and make sure our kids have a chance to grow up healthy and smoke-free. After all, isn't that what we all want?

好吧，伙計們，這是低點。自動售貨機可能正在出門，但是與未成年人吸煙的鬥爭還遠遠沒有結束。讓我們保持壓力，並確保我們的孩子有機會健康且無菸。畢竟，這不是我們都想要的嗎？