smoking in pubs new law in UK

[Barbie]

Hey! Why do you always attack me? Pip UK said something first!

No, I haven't... except one of my idols, TV newsman Peter Jennings (a giant in the business, r.i.p.).

Still, I don't support total smoking bans. There's a million environmental hazards that will kill you (and voluntary ones as well) so you're not going to ban everything. Sooner or later, we must face up to the fact that human beings don't live forever.

I don't know how to quote 2 people's comments so I quoted the one I saw first.

Well I'd hardly say some random newsperson dieing is the same as a relative

Seeing Tom's gran so ill at the moment, the pain and suffering she is in, the hardship all their family are going thru makes me realise that if a smoking ban stops just 1 person going thru all that then it can only be a good thing. If you don't have such regard for your own life, fine, but it's not fair to inflict your smoking on others and put their health at risk.

 

[Barbie]

I look forward to the time when we live in a cleaner London and people are in pubs saying, "I can't believe everyone used to smoke in these places, it was horrid wasn't it?" (because despite being a smoker I think it IS horrid!)

Exactly, I think once people adjust to it over time it will just seem normal behaviour, I mean can you believe that it was only in our lifetime that you could smoke on the tube Could you imagine sitting on the underground now and lighting up

 

[stuie]

I mean can you believe that it was only in our lifetime that you could smoke on the tube

and on aeroplanes!!

 

[Barbie]

and on aeroplanes!!

And you don't get people moaning about that these days do you?? As Rob says once people get used to their behaviour changing it will just become the norm. I know a lot of restaurants we go to these days are aleady non-smoking and you just get used to it.

 

[Robder]

Exactly, I think once people adjust to it over time it will just seem normal behaviour, I mean can you believe that it was only in our lifetime that you could smoke on the tube Could you imagine sitting on the underground now and lighting up

Urgh - I know, horrid isn't it? I can't believe that either.

(Are we getting old and sensible?)

 

[Morbyd]

I don't know how to quote 2 people's comments so I quoted the one I saw first.

Well I'd hardly say some random newsperson dieing is the same as a relative

Seeing Tom's gran so ill at the moment, the pain and suffering she is in, the hardship all their family are going thru makes me realise that if a smoking ban stops just 1 person going thru all that then it can only be a good thing. If you don't have such regard for your own life, fine, but it's not fair to inflict your smoking on others and put their health at risk.

Peter Jennings is not a random newsperson. I grew up with Peter Jennings. I watched the news every night since I was about 5. He was London correspondent for ABC News before becoming the presenter for their daily evening news broadcast up until he took ill last spring. He was, as I stated, an idol of mine with his wry wit, intelligence, and hunger for knowledge.

But I digress...

I am truly sorry to hear about Tom's grandmother. Please do pass that along, because I mean it. I've been there (not lung cancer, but other drawn out health issues) and it is tough on the whole family.

As for a smoking ban, I don't have my stats but I think automobile accidents kill more people per year than smoking. It can be quite an agonizing death as well. Lets ban that too? In the UK, especially, you've got a great public transport system so all those cars are surely unnecessary.

 

[Morbyd]

and on aeroplanes!!

Oh, I remember that. On long-haul flights from the States I used to get tickets in non-smoking but then wander back for a cig. Made those 10 hour flights more bearable. Ah, the good old days

 

[DJ Soulman]

Why should it be socially acceptable to drink but not smoke

Because drinking only affects your own body, smoking affects everyones body in your vicinity.

 

[Mark Sun]

There's a million environmental hazards that will kill you

Nothing like the concentrations you get in clubs and pubs. I've had sore eyes and athsma from some of the clubs I've been in so I'm really happy about the decision. All of the other examples mentioned before don't really affect others in a club or pub situation (except maybe violence relating to alcohol).

In Sydney they've banned smoking in restaurants for about 10 years and I'm horrified when my mates light up while I'm still finishing my meal, it's really bad manners but seems accepted over here.

They're projecting that 600,000 people are likely to give up as a result of the ban and many more will be spared from health problems (think of bar staff who have no choice but to work in the smoke every night).

So viva la ban!

 

[Barbie]

As for a smoking ban, I don't have my stats but I think automobile accidents kill more people per year than smoking. It can be quite an agonizing death as well. Lets ban that too? In the UK, especially, you've got a great public transport system so all those cars are surely unnecessary.

No smoking kills more people than road accidents and the government have been doing things to reduce accidents eg lowering the drink driving limit, longer sentences for those caught drink driving etc. So the smoking ban is their way of trying to reduce all the deaths related to smoking incidents which can only be a good thing. I mean can you honestly say if you could rewind the clock back 15 years (or however long you've been smoking) you'd start again, I know I wouldn't and if the UK adopts more of a non-smoking culture hopefully it will put people off starting in the first place.

And I'd quite happily ban all cars being the tree hugging hippy that I am

 

[Morbyd]

I mean can you honestly say if you could rewind the clock back 15 years (or however long you've been smoking) you'd start again

I won't argue with the rest of your post... it's one of those issues where your either for a ban or against and I am against (and obviously in the minority )

But on this point, yes, I would (and it's 17 years )

I enjoy smoking. If I decide at some point I no longer do, then I stop. No problem. My wife just did and hasn't smoked in 4 months and I'm more than confident I could easily do the same. But at this point, I have no desire to quit.

 

[DJ Soulman]

In my main residency I have a huge 3 speed fan in front of me. Its usually running all night on the low speed to blow cool air over me and move cigarette smoke away at the same time. Last Saturday we were up to capacity and extremely busy, I had the fan on full belt blowing a gale over me but it still couldn't get rid of the cigarette smoke which was making my eyes water.

 

[Robder]

And I'd quite happily ban all cars being the tree hugging hippy that I am

Oh me too!

Hate the things.

Can we ban hip hop too please? Completely unrelated but I hate that too.

 

[Drew]

May i just throw a fact into the debate .....

(a fact, not a defence of smoking)

.... damage from smoking is, in most cases reversible over time. Liver damage from alcohol abuse IS NOT!

 

[Morbyd]

.... damage from smoking is, in most cases reversible over time. Liver damage from alcohol abuse IS NOT!

Ban it!

(and order me a transplant while you're at it )

 

[fergie19]

Being a 'social' smoker I am all for the ban. Only really smoke on nights out and I see this as the perfect opportunity to stop for good. Won't be easy at first, but I reckon it will finally make me completely stop

 

[Robder]

May i just throw a fact into the debate .....

(a fact, not a defence of smoking)

.... damage from smoking is, in most cases reversible over time. Liver damage from alcohol abuse IS NOT!

Agreed and taken on board but I don't see this as a related point.

"Please can you stand over there with your pint Drew because you're making it difficult for me to breathe/eat my food and my clothes will smell."

Also you'd have to be REALLY drunk a lot of the time to cause liver damage...therefore it's something you'd be more conscious of doing because drunken behaviour is anti social.
Smokers don't behave any differently when lighting up and they do it at all times of the day - it's a behaviour pattern that fades into the background.

 

[Drew]

Being a 'social' smoker I am all for the ban. Only really smoke on nights out and I see this as the perfect opportunity to stop for good. Won't be easy at first, but I reckon it will finally make me completely stop

Same here.

Daft thing is, i never crave one until i have a drink in my hand.

Yet, when i'm out in a 'no smoking' bar/restaurant i couldn't care less. In fact i leave feeling much better about myself.

 

[Mark Sun]

We're not talking about outlawing smoking, just stopping people doing it in highly populated and enclosed spaces.

 

[Drew]

Agreed and taken on board but I don't see this as a related point.

"Please can you stand over there with your pint Drew because you're making it difficult for me to breathe/eat my food and my clothes will smell."

Also you'd have to be REALLY drunk a lot of the time to cause liver damage...therefore it's something you'd be more conscious of doing because drunken behaviour is anti social.
Smokers don't behave any differently when lighting up and they do it at all times of the day - it's a behaviour pattern that fades into the background.

I wasn't defending either/or. Just something that no-one's mentioned up to press.

It actually came to mind after reading something in a paper the other day about the massive increase of people in their teens/early 20's that have liver failure.