Smoking ban in all pubs and clubs

[Rave]

By our representatives. Don't like it? Vote for someone else next time.

Guess what? I've never voted Labour in my life, so cheers for that helpful advice.

[dangel]

By whom? who decides its ok to get killed by cars and not cigarettes? gotta love the double standard.

If car smoke was anywhere near the density of a typical boozer's cigerette smoke you'd drop dead rather quickly. It's not because you generally (unless you're quite depressed) don't run a car in a enclosed space. Silly analogy so let's just drop it m'kay?

As to who decides - well, that would be your government (who we voted in) and your mp's (who we voted in) who are there to represent your interests in the house of commons. Shocking. Not.

This whole debate is rather moot - none of the arguements given by those opposed to the ban hold any water with me (and I have smoked) especially the people who whinge about 'choice'. Choice is only viable when you're not harming other people by your actions, which unfortunately you are when you smoke and others have no choice but to inhale it. That fact is irrefutable, and that's why we must give _choice_ to those who _don't_ want to smoke. A smoker can always pop out for a sly one - as has been the practice in many workplaces for many years now - doing no harm to anyone but himself (his choice).

So, it'll happen, and it'll have to happen without expceptions to provide a level playing field for all pubs/clubs (who would hate a partial ban as it'd destroy business). We know already from our surrounding countries that a ban does no harm to industry, it certainly does no harm to health - so what's the debate? When and how I think.

[dangel]

Guess what? I've never voted Labour in my life, so cheers for that helpful advice.

Guess what? Plenty of others did. Get over it. I've never voted for them either FYI.

[menthel]

And in case you didn't notice, Labour wanted a partial ban, but MP's had a free vote and passed the complete ban by a huge majority. That is real democracy, rather than the party wranglings we usually see. The majority of people, very sensibly, don't smoke and therefore the opinion polls that showed 70% in favour of a complete ban is probably very representative. Giving up smoking is good for you, having worked as a doctor now for nearly 5 years you come to appreciate the pain and misery it causes in later life. My last 6 months working in a hospice has made sure I never smoke again.

[Lee H]

No because smokers are drug addicts, as such their judgement is impeded, they will refuse out right to join the group to a non-smoking pub, using emotive tactics to get what they want like a small child. And when you do, as a group go to a non smoking pub, the two or three smokers moan endlessly about it, so the overall fun is decreased.

Hopefully this way, they wont moan about it quite so endlessly.

Theres an intresting spin off the prisoner dilema, make one of them a drug addict, or like in the film das experment, someone lactose intolerant.

LOL I've never heard so much rubbish in my life.

I go to NON-SMOKING venues with my friends all the time happily as my housemate has a bad case of asthma. I never EVER use any secondary tactics like throwing rattles out of the pram to get them to go to a place where smoking is allowed.

If I need a nicotine fix I can nip outside while on the mobile, killing 2 birds with one stone

[Carlh]

LOL I've never heard so much rubbish in my life.

I go to NON-SMOKING venues with my friends all the time happily as my housemate has a bad case of asthma. I never EVER use any secondary tactics like throwing rattles out of the pram to get them to go to a place where smoking is allowed.

If I need a nicotine fix I can nip outside while on the mobile, killing 2 birds with one stone

Well said tbh

I would also agree with Lee on this one as my girlfriend doesnt smoke and when we go out to pubs etc I never go in smoking areas with her.

Also as she has just recently given birth I now dont smoke in the house as I dont want the child and her suffering due to my habits

[shelley bda]

Also as she has just recently given birth I now dont smoke in the house as I dont want the child and her suffering due to my habits

Congratulations! i wish there were more people that were as considerate as this

Awww you Scan guys are so sweet

[dannyboy83]

The main reason I'm all for the smoking ban is pretty selfish. I ahte coming home from the pub smelling of smoke (hair and clothes)...

Having said that, the smoking ban ain't gonna make my booze-breath get any better!

As I live in Scotland, the ban comes in on 26th March... so all you down in England and Wales should look to the North to see how the ban affects us! You might get the smokers going on "Smoking weekends" down to pubs and clubs in Newcastle or something!

[scottyman]

I do think Restaurants should ban Smoking, families with children are more likely to use Restaurants than pubs.

Banning fags from all pubs seems a bit silly really, they should leave it to the discretion of the Landlord so people have a choice of wether they want to go to a non smoking pub or not

Btw i don't smoke and i hate people smoking around me

personally I think children should be banned from all restaurants and pubs.
on the smoking front - I've been working hard for the last 6 months to give up smoking, and as far as I can tell, I've succeeded.

banning smoking in pubs is a good thing, but allowing people to smoke and drink outside in the rain is a better idea - fine - if you want to smoke, do it elsewhere.
it works well in NZ, apparently works well in Ireland - and has the net effect of forcing people to reduce and rethink the habit.
the whole US system is bizarre and unworkable - i was at a pub in SF last year where they had an outside sectioned off area for smokers, but it turns out they weren't licensed to allow drinking in the beer garden after 5pm, the bar was fined for allowing drinking

[dkmech]

Some interesting arguments here.

Clothes and hair - I am not that bothered (but i would prefer if they didnt smell). Breathing stinky smoke into my lungs in the pub is another matter.

Cars. I am ALL FOR BANNING CARS in restaurants and pubs. If there is ever a public vote send me a PM and I will make sure I vote to ban them.

On a slightly serious note - cars and other vehicles perform a service. People are "addicted" to cars, true. But there are many many things that have to be transported by road. You and your lovely cigarets included.

Jobs - seriously - don't give me that thing about rather staying on the dole than working in a smoky pub. Many people want to get a job. Many people moan about people who don't get a job and have to be supported by the government. So how about government giving people an insentive to work? Like making their work environment not full of poisonous smoke? Why, wouldn't you all be for it? If it was an industrial situation and fumes from some industrial process were filling the room to an extent that it does in some pubs I am sure the company would get sued/fined/closed etc. Just because this smoke gives an addict a kick doesn't make it right.

Whoever mentioned their asthma suffering friend. If your friend suffers from asthma its alright to be considerate to her and not smoke, but any other non smoker is fair game? Thats an interesting point. If as someone said you can go out and have a smoke while on mobile - then why don't you just do that anyway when the ban comes?

Less smoking more drinking argument - if you don't have the willpower or enough sense to drink responsibly - then what it matters to you what poison you use to kill yourself? But would you please kindly not shove that poison down my nose and throat? Thanks. Oh and btw - moderate quantities of red wine are good for you. Try that instead and switch to juice when you had enough.

The whole representation thing. Who here thinks that all of the MPs are nonsmokers. These are people whose age is generally higher than the average here I am guessing, raised before the widespread understanding of smoking's dangers. I am sure enough of them smoke to be representative of the generall population.

"my friends dont mind going to smoky places with me". Bull****. Don't ask them "can we go to a smoking place if you dont mind". Ask them this: "with everything else being equal - would you rather be in a smoky place or non-smoking place? and don't spare my feelings". If people at my table in a pub smoke - i won't stop them. Would I rather they didn't? Hell yes!

The nanny state? Its not outright ban. You are still welcome to smoke outside where it is not impossible for anyone near you to walk away far enough to be outside of your foul smelling area of effect. If smokers really are addicts maybe those without their judgement being fogged by the smoke should make a decision that would benefit the majority of the population and hopefully the smokers themselves, those who would like to quit anyway.

I was very unsure about the ban to start with, but the arguments a lot of the smokers give just make me feel more and more sure in my support for it.

[dkmech]

Smokers - please realise that its not a sensible way to rebell against oppressive society. Its like protesting against something by harming yourself. None of us want to oppress you or persecute you. We would all much rather you quit, had a healthier life and didn't make others suffer too. And I am sure every nonsmoking friend of yours, if they are indeed a friend, would be happy to help you quit in any way they can.

[kalniel]

Anyone complaining about lack of representation should get in touch with their MP. Regardless of whether you voted for them or not, they are representing the views of their constituents, especially in the case of a free vote as this one was. You can ask how your MP voted (and you can probably find out online too) and let them know your views. If your MP doesn't know your views then how can you expect them to represent you? If they disagree with your views, vote for someone who agrees. If you can't find any candidates that agree with your views, become a candidate yourself - if enough other people agree with you you will get elected and then you can use your vote in the commons.

[vincent]

now im a full time smoker....

you see this is where i LOVE the government especially Labour.......

They bring up Ani smoking campaigns saying "smoking Kills" and "Dont Stop Giving Up" etc...
and they place full bans on bars and Pubs....

when at the end of the day-their gonna damage themselves...

i'l ltell you why...

In 2002- i could get a 25g of Tobacco for £4.15-£4.25 at least in a shop
Now in 2006- tobacco prices are around £5.00+ in a shop for a 25g.... thats due to the Yearly budget.....

Now this bit confuses me- if the government hates smokers- why is it that at least 25% of the price of tobacco goes to the government.....?? this is the reason why Tobacco products Wont be banned

Or the fact that the general public hates smokers? - The general public hates smokers cos they "it's disgusting,it tastes and smells horrid" -But it's like anything else in life- every human being IS addicted to at least ONE drug in their life- it can be any type of drug from Nicotine to caffinee to Fat and carbohydrates........ we're all in the same baot...

So why do us smokers get treated differently?

I'll tell you why- because of the Anti smoking campaigns plastered all over the UK from the TV to radio hell even to magazines-this passes on to the the average UK Joe Blogsg thats its bad to smoke....

When infact- The most worst chemical in the world is Alcohol....... Maybe The Government shoudl think what their doing and if this is how their handling smoking -how are they gonna handle Alcoholism and the damm right morons who ruin a ncie night out -when they only make it worse [the 24 Hour licensing act]....

Conspiracy over LOL

[Knoxville]

Right, theres been a fair few posts and quite frankly I can't be bothered to quote and reply to you all individually. First off, your clothes and hair smell of smoke? do you people never wash or change your clothes? you'll smell of alot more than smoke of you don't start lemme tell you, a lame excuse if ever I heard one, if thats all you have to say I'm suprised you have anyone willing to sit in a pub with you anyway.

Representation, I wasn't just talking about representation of smokers but ok, the people that represent us are older, so obviously they know more about life than we do correct? (I can smell something, can you?) and obviously they know what the younger generation want and don't want? (because they're so old and knowledgable? It really is starting to smell now) Perhaps something that affects nearly ever person in the country and is of such importance should have been put to a public vote, afterall its us it affects slightly more than most MP's who've never seen a haze of smoke like the one over the pool table in the nags head?

People not minding smoking in pubs? There are a helluva lot more than you think, a wetherspoons just down the road from me has recently opened and a few of my non smoking mates really hate the way conversations have to be split up because you can't smoke there and would far rather go to a smokier pub and enjoy a better atmosphere and night out.

Cars and vehicles perform a service? most smokers do aswell, we actually manage to hold down jobs despite our "harrowing" addiction and would be a damn sight worse at them if we didn't smoke, you'll also find that if you sit in a garage next to me while I smoke a deck of twenty you won't be nearly as dead as you would be if you left your car running.

You wanna send every smoker out in the cold and the rain thats fine, im sure you'll have no complaints when you catch all manner of colds/coughs/virus's off them because theres not a seperate room or ventilated area where they can smoke.

Put shortly I don't expect to be able to walk through a maternity ward puffing on a cuban cigar, nor do I expect to be able to smoke 20 Marlbro Red's in a restaurant, but I would like just a few bars where I can sit down in the warm and enjoy a smoke with my pint and I don't think its much to ask.

Oh and the next one of you to talk about smokers as if we're heroin addicts is gonna get a sleeve of 200 Ronson Full Tar rammed up a certain puckered orifice. Just because I enjoy a cigarette does not mean I deserve to be lookd down upon or treated with contempt.

[dkmech]

Smokers perform a service. Smoking doesn't. They would perform the service just as well if they didn't smoke (we will discount any arguments that if they aren't smoking they are feeling bad and cant work properly). Please don't trivialise your argument by talking rubbish.

Reason I brought age of MPs up was because I think there is a good chance of them to have sufficient amount of smokers. Not because they are wiser or more experienced.

Your mates may prefer unsplit conversations in a smoky pub, but they would still prefer unsplit conversations in a non-smoky pub if you gave up smoking and gave them a chance.

I don't want to send every smoker in the cold. I would much rather they gave up smoking, stayed in, enjoyed the conversation and were all the healthier for it.

Car in a garage doing more harm with engine running. How is it an either or situation? It's never either I smoke or the car does. If the car needs to run in a garage - first of all there should be sufficient ventilation (see my point about industrial practices) and secondly your choice to smoke or not is independent of the car running or not and any smoke you produce will be in addition to it.

I am all for ecologically clean modes of transport. Don't try to divert the topic to things which are irrelevant to the debate.

Why not take an objective look at this habbit without comparing to what else it is that other people may be doing wrong. And think for yourself, not the person next to you (although if your partner doesnt smoke you can think about their feelings too) - what are the benefits of smoking for you, what are the drawbacks, and can anything be done to get the same benefits in some other nondestructive way.

[IBM]

Smoking is a disgusting, addictive habit. Should be banned completely, and logic dictates that eventually it probably will be. Along with caffine, sugar, and alcohol (amongst others). Mega City One will by then exist and we'll all be held directly responsible for our action by Judges.

However, when I smoked (for about seven years) I always said that I'd love a ban 'cause it'd help me give up. Fortunately I had a son four years ago, and that helped me quit very quickly indeed.

Smokers, you're right, it's all about an infringement of your personal freedom, but if you're stupid enough to be killing yourself with smoke and harming people around you, then you're obviously not responsible enough to have the personal freedom you currently possess and it should all be taken away from you. You can complain all you like, but the ban will go through, will never be revoked, and there's nothing you can do about it but b1tch, and b1tch, and b1tch...