Best news in ages! Smoking Ban Date set!

[EvilWeevil]

I think the ban's great in MOST cases, however as it stands establishemnts which exist purely for smoking (ie cigar bars, divans, shisha bars etc) will also be affected - surely there should be exemption for the sort of places that you wouldn't go to if you cared about smoke...

[KBeee]

When the Labour Gov. first came in, a mate of mine said
"They'll ban smoking, and legalise pot" which is pretty much what happened, until they back-tracked on the re-classification of pot
They don't get tax on pot....

[JimmyBoy]

i am a smoker but when im in a place where it is so smokey my eyes go nuts, why not have smoking areas??

would pull the punters in surely??

[Digerati]

Having a smoking area in a pub would be like having a peeing section in a swimming pool... it wouldn't work.

[redsky009]

Having a smoking area in a pub would be like having a peeing section in a swimming pool... it wouldn't work.

That's awesome, thanks you've just cheered up my monday morning

I'm not in favour of smoking areas as most of my pub-going mates smoke so we always end up in the smoking area anyway, otherwise I would just be at a table by myself

[IBM]

Should have happened a lot sooner, and while people are right about the 'effecting busineses established around smoking' I'm pretty sure the people who are employed to work there would rather not develop smoking related diseases because of their work environment, which is the whole point of the ban anyway (although whether they're willing to loose their job because of it, I don't know. For more information, see first line of my previous post).

[Fabula]

One crucial point is that smoking is bad for you. It harms you in whatever quantities you have, whether from smoking directly, or from passive smoking. There are no redeeming factors to smoking.

Drinking can be good for you, or it can be bad for you. Having a pint of beer (not lager) or glass of red wine each evening will have well documented health benefits.
The problems come from people getting confused and thinking that rather than having one pint/glass a night, they can save it up and have 10pints on a saturday night.

[Kumagoro]

Yay for the ban,

I went to a work dinner the other day and the restaurant had a smoking section.
I still came out stinking of smoke so that sort of thing doesnt work properly.

Give it another 5 years and they will ban smoking in public i.e. in town centres
etc. People have said it should only be allowed in your own home, but if you
live in a flat you shouldnt be allowed to smoke, the stuff still manages to get
into the surrounding flats.

The 'If they dont ban alcohol they cant ban smoking' argument is a bit tard worthy.
Since when did everything get changed at once.

Who knows what will happen in 20 years. When I was young I didnt think
smoking would get banned but then it did in LA or where ever and they were
saying in 10 years it will be the same here. I think it was more 15 years
though if not more.

To deal with alcohol I think that very bright street lighting in the busy bar
nightclub areas would help a lot. In the very least I think people would feel
safer I think people still feel some kind of anonymity when its dark so are more
likely to do stuff.

[barryledder]

ive said this before and ill say it again being an ex smoker i can see it from both sides!!
Super love the ban and more of them but at least allow a liscence or some form of law to allow smokers to enjoy their vice in a special bar/resturant so you have the choice, and those that dont smoke need not go near and that goes for the employees, its there choice!!

[redsky009]

ive said this before and ill say it again being an ex smoker i can see it from both sides!!
Super love the ban and more of them but at least allow a liscence or some form of law to allow smokers to enjoy their vice in a special bar/resturant so you have the choice, and those that dont smoke need not go near and that goes for the employees, its there choice!!

Its good in theory, and taking away people's rights is a thorny issue, but about half of my mates smoke and they would always go for the smoking places, meaning I would never see them, as it is we harldy ever sit in the non-smoking part of restaurants/bars. Sure its a personal choice and I could dump them as friends but I still kinda like them,

[Clunk]

Sure its a personal choice and I could dump them as friends but I still kinda like them,

Even though they are selfishly killing you with cancer causing smoke?

[Matt1eD]

Sorry for enhancing the non-debate debate but I'm going to voice a few ideas! I have not read the whole thread but I guess it's pretty repetitious like the previous smoking ones so here goes.

This country has far greater problems. This smoking thing has got way out of control. I am for a smoking ban but not everywhere, I want smoking licences for dedicated smoking establishments. For the current situation though there are non-smoking establishments, people have choice - that's what democracy is all about.

It's only a percentage of people who drink excessively and consequently cause social problems (whether it be littering, drink driving, physical abuse etc.). Both smoking and drinking cost society something whether it be the NHS, council clean-up or policing etc. - they shouldn't but evidently people want to therefore society caters for it. Similarly some people smoke in public and cause irritation, but not all smokers do. It's all a question of moderation. I could slam all smokers, I could slam all drinkers - but more people drink so that's somehow acceptable??

I drink, I smoke (cigars and cigarillos, hence not inhaling) yet I don't do either to excess. The latter most certainly not around those who do not appreciate it; therefore in my garden or divans and similar dedicated smoking establishments. All that's required is a sensitivity and respect of others when doing anything.

Italy allow smoking indoors if establishments abide to very un-clear and expensive regulations for sealed rooms (hence it's pretty much 100% non-smoking) and I can honestly say it's good like that in that one doesn't stink of stale smoke, but should one wish to, one should have the choice to go to a smoking bar. The club argument is crap, after a night out I'd expect everyone to change their clothes anyway.

The ban was put in place to protect workers - that swung people in the Commons debate, this is a step in the right direction. But without moving into the still un-confirmed passive smoking debate people should have a choice. On the whole a foreigner or similar low pay person coming into the country does have a small choice of work hence they probably would have a choice between NS or S places of work.

[TheAnimus]

loss of tax on cigs, people saying make brother culture like the continent.

Now while i'm at the wounderful 21 stage of life, i've never even been to a strip club, but i've dredged the depths of humanity (the students unoin, 2am on a wednesday).

But if prossies are making £500 a day drug habbit money. Legalised brothels should be able too get in money in tax simple.

[Digerati]

i've never even been to a strip club

[Captain Fizz]

Most smokers will agree that when you get a few drinks inside you, you want to smoke. Kind of weird really.

Ultimately, nicotine brings about the release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens (5). Alcohol consumption also leads to dopamine release...

http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa39.htm

Alcohol and Nicotine produce the same results in the brain chemistry - So when you have a pint, you feel like a ciggy.

I smoke.
About the cost - About 2 Oz of tobacco a week...
So £520 per year.
I probably spend as much as that on alcohol over the year, if not more. (And I don't drink a lot)

We've had the ban in Scotland for ages - I quite like it actually.
(Even though I smoke)
There were occasions when I was out and the eyes were stinging due to excessive smoke - Some smoke's OK - Excessive smoke is nasty.

Just means we head outside, topic of conversation usually twists, then back in again... Makes getting to and from your seat a bit of an issue (climbing over people) but it makes for a nicer atmosphere in the pub.

The one thing that annoys me is the smoking shelters rule.

In our work we had an 'indoor outdoor' area. Basically the center of the building is roof-less. A wee shelter was put up (just roof, no sides) and peeps could smoke in there - Non-smokers were not affected. It was outdoors so plenty of air going about.

But, it's within 20' of the building (distance plucked out of thin air but it's about that) so we couldn't use that area anymore.

Now, our shelter consists of umbrella's... if it's not windy.
I don't see why we cannot have 3 sided shelters?
Ahh well - I may give up the next time I feel like it.

[JimmyBoy]

being a smoker im not best pleased with this, though even though i smoke i hate it wen a bar or club is too smokey, it really hurts my eyes, should just have smoking areas if u ask me (outside doesnt count)

i can see myself smoking much less as a result, i heard at work they are getting rid of our smoking room aswell grrr