Banning Public Smoking

[gilgamesj]

Originally posted by spikegifted
First of all, I'm a smoker, so my response is going to be bias...

I agree that there're places that there should be no smoking - movie theaters, shopping malls, shops, museums, offices, trains, the Tube, etc... However, I don't agree with banning smoking in all public areas. The reason? (Aside from the fact that I want to sneak out for a cigarette from time to time...) Banning smoking is primarily on health grounds, so just how healthy is breathing in the lovely pulluted air of London, or the Underground, or a shopping mall near Heathrow? If banning smoking is really health grounds then driving should be banned and the Underground should be stopped and all air traffic over the UK should be stopped also.


If banning smoking in public areas is on both a health ground and also a social backdrop, the government should ban drinking also.

This was what i was getting at Agent m8.

Lets face the fact that one cigerette from another person from 10 ft away out in the open air aint really gonna do anything is it ?

Smoking in Cinemas is already banned anyway, but the idea of banning smoking in a pub is silly. No smoking, then soon no drinking and no talking!

As for the Health basis, i could probably bet there are more deaths from drink driving, drink poisoning, drink etc etc etc than from people getting cancer from 2ndary smoking.
What about people who get pi**ed and go run out in the road or end up in a brawl ending people in hospitals.

I'm not a cig. smoker, but i can empathise with people with addictions for various reasons,

[Knoxville]

Originally posted by gilgamesj
As for the Health basis, i could probably bet there are more deaths from drink driving, drink poisoning, drink etc etc etc than from people getting cancer from 2ndary smoking.

There are less people killed a year by serial killers than ones caused by drinking etc, it doesn't mean its not a risk.

[gilgamesj]

Originally posted by Knoxville
There are less people killed a year by serial killers than ones caused by drinking etc, it doesn't mean its not a risk.

yeah, this is true, but why not ban drinking instead ?

[Knoxville]

As agent said earlier, any governmeant that tries that will have a war on its hands, with me on the frontline

[Agent]

Originally posted by Knoxville
As agent said earlier, any governmeant that tries that will have a war on its hands, with me on the frontline

And the fact that when im not next to somone drinking, they are not directly effecting me.
If they came upto me, and forcefully made me drink when i didnt want to, thats another matter (yes, and i know knox is about to say somthing along the lines of "but why would you moan if that happened , but its a serious point im trying to make).

[Knoxville]

Its a serious point and i ain't gonna spoil it by making that comment

Because i wouldn't complain about someone forcing me to drink doesn't meen some people wouldn't (but thats a different story for a different thread )

But i think agents hit it right on the head there, the guy sitting next to me with his pint isn't directly causing me any harm by drinking it.

Unlike the guy sitting next to me puffing away at his ciggy.

[acidrainy]

Originally posted by Knoxville
But i think agents hit it right on the head there, the guy sitting next to me with his pint isn't directly causing me any harm by drinking it.

Unlike the guy sitting next to me puffing away at his ciggy.

Very good point, would you like to be reasonable for your friends lung cancer?

I realise I'm taking this to the extreme here but cumon... this could be a real scenario...

Do you seriously value your addiction over other peoples health?
My thought to that question would result in a majority of smokers answering "of course not" then realising that actually, by definition they are....

[[R4A]Bigman]

Some people round here never sleep : /

Originally posted by gilgamesj
As for the Health basis, i could probably bet there are more deaths from drink driving, drink poisoning, drink etc etc etc than from people getting cancer from 2ndary smoking.

Yes but more people are injured every year playing Crown-Green Bowling than bungee jumping. Nice statistic that. I think that we should bring in Health and Safety laws to ban bowling.

No, the fact of the matter, somwhere around half the population smoke, and around 98% of the population drink id reckon, so there are going to be going to be more incidents by number related to drinking, but my percentage I think that smoking is probably worse.

Originally posted by Agent
And the fact that when im not next to somone drinking, they are not directly effecting me.
If they came upto me, and forcefully made me drink when i didnt want to, thats another matter

I think you've hit the nail on the head there. Drinking does not affectively directly effect anyone except the drinker. Having too much Coke can cause people to go hyperactive and start bawls, but we aint gonna ban Coke.

Originally posted by acidrainy
Do you seriously value your addiction over other peoples health?
My thought to that question would result in a majority of smokers answering "of course not" then realising that actually, by definition they are....

Yet another excellent point, and one I completely agree with. Humans are by nature hypocritical, and heres a perfect example.

Now heres my very provocative question:

Do we think that the poll posted represents a real life percentage of the parent population (the UK) in this matter? If not, why not? Are we saying that computer geeks are more intellegent so don't smoke?

[spikegifted]

Originally posted by acidrainy
Do you seriously value your addiction over other peoples health?
My thought to that question would result in a majority of smokers answering "of course not" then realising that actually, by definition they are....

The thing is, you must recognize that most people who have long-term smoking addiction actually like smoking. I, for example, actually enjoy smoking...

Now, mirror that to people who drink and people who hang out with others who drink a lot. At subconscience level, drink is highly competitive, even if it is not manifested on the surface - you just have to keep up. What you're suggesting is that those who can handle their drinks and like to drink a lot (I'm guessing that's a lot of people in the UK) are actually killing their friends by forcing these friends to drink (through peer pressure)...

[[R4A]Bigman]

Well in that case surely smoking is twice as bad?

Coz theres the direct harm from the smoke and then the peer pressure as well?

[Punky]

i'm not quitting because other people don't like it! when i can go round telling people not to do stuff i don't like them doing, then they can tell me not to smoke. nuff sed.

[Agent]

Originally posted by not_your_punk
i'm not quitting because other people don't like it! when i can go round telling people not to do stuff i don't like them doing, then they can tell me not to smoke. nuff sed.

What ?
If you want to kill yourself, fine, go ahead, ive got no problem with it. But when you start effecting others because of your addiction, thats where i draw the line.

[Knoxville]

His smoking doesn't affect me when i'm hanging around with him etc, he's actually a pretty considerate smoker and doesn't light up everywhere.

[Punky]

cheers for that matey

[Agent]

Originally posted by Knoxville
His smoking doesn't affect me when i'm hanging around with him etc, he's actually a pretty considerate smoker and doesn't light up everywhere.

Which was my point. I said that hes free to smoke, he doesnt have to quit, just not smoke by me so it effects me.
Simple.

[Kilrov]

hmmm.... wish my local had a non smoking section I really dont like the fact that even if im only in for one quick drink my clothes will need washing because you cannot escape the smell.

On the subject I reckon that indoor smoking in public places such as shopping centres should definately be banned, but if smoking areas are set up in restaurants and pubs im not against that because smoking is a part of pub and/or eating culture in England. Outdoors is a tricky issue, im sure it does not cause much damage to other people because of the wind factor but maybe no smoking zones should be set up (like alcohol free zones already in many places) these could be near bus stops, schools, playgrounds etc.