Today saw the start of the smoking ban in public places in England and last night at the stroke of midnight I lit up a cigar in a pub on the seafront and puffed away in an ironic celebration against smoking. Of course the ban didn?t actually kick in until 6am but who cares.
I?m actually of to the pub this evening to meet Kevin and it?ll be odd to see no smoke?.. woo hoo!
The ban has been in place here for years, and met with much grumbling. It?s become second nature now for smokers, though I imagine there is still much grumbling, especially on days with inclement weather.
I quit around the time the ban went into effect, though not for that reason. I felt rather defiant about the whole thing then and might have kept smoking out of spite. But I just woke up one day and thought, ?I think I?ll quit smoking today.? and with the help of the patch, I did.
Good luck as you all adjust over there!
On no account should a total smoking ban be allowed ! That is pure fascism, those who are trying to enforce it are pure fascists, and as such are dangerous and should be fought tooth and nail as any dangerous fascist should.
The solution to the smoking/non-smoking problem is to have separate areas. That works perfectly well and there is no valid reason to change it. There is a lot of medical propaganda about smoking that is unproven or false, notably on the subject of passive smoking.
It is pure humbug. The rights of smokers are just as important as those of non-smokers and let no-one say otherwise. Hitler singled out the Jews in the 1930’s just like people are singling out smokers now. It is very very dangerous and these people must not be allowed to get away with this, if only because it is an open door to other things ………alcohol, fatty foods, car exhaust fumes etc etc. Rail Travel is dangerous, air travel, cars on the road.
You could argue that anything is dangerous and that it should be banned. The argument just doesn’t make sense. I have not one iota of doubt in my mind that these would-be banners are wrong and they must be stopped.
The other thing, the most hypocritical thing of all, is that if cigarettes were really as dangerous as they would have us believe, then their sale would be banned, wouldn’t it ? Ah yes, but there is too much money involved. Cannabis, which is not dangerous at all, is banned ? Why? No-one knows, but it does containes less dangerous products than tobacco.
All this goes to prove that the government are a load of hyprocrites and should in no case be listened to. It’s time the public stood up to these people who really take them for a bunch of idiots.
Non smoking sections are about as effective as non urinating sections in a pool.
and saying you can?t smoke in this building is a far cry from hitler killing millions of jews during the halocaust. That has to be one of the worst comparisons I?ve ever read.
Smoking is unhealthy. Its proven. Second hand smoke is nearly as bad. Even before I started smoking, I was sick regularly with upper respiratory infections and/or bronchitus until recent years when everyone within my house had quit smoking.
An individual shouldn?t have their rights trodden upon by someone who doesn?t care if they end up with emphysema and/or lung cancer. Keep it legal, just don?t make me have to breathe it.
I smoked for ten years. The day my mom was unconscious, blue, and not breathing because the combination of the flu and her emphysema nearly killed her, I quit. Seeing her stuck in intensive care for nine days, and her fight since then to do basic things someone her age should be able to do much easier was a lesson for me.
Smoking is far more dangerous than many people give it credit. I have two parents and many other relatives that have either emphysema, or died from lung cancer to think otherwise.
I?ve always been a non smoker so am glad the ban is here!
I hate coming home from a night out stinking of smoke and having to wash my hair or risk waking up in the morning with my pillow and sheets reeking of stale smoke!
I?m not saying that people should be forced to quit smoking; that?s their choice. However I?m in total agreement with Michael.
In the past few years I?ve seen 3 friends die of emphysema, while another is dying of lung cancer.
I used to have bronchitis all the time; I never had a simple cold. Since I quit smoking 8 years ago, I almost never get a cold. Nice, that.
But I?m not one of those reformed smokers who run around preaching to smokers, telling them that they have a filthy habit and they have to quit. That sort of person only pissed me off when I smoked. It?s none of my business whether or not someone else smokes, as long as they leave me out of it.
It was quite odd to go the the pub and there not to be smoke. I was quite amazed by how clearer everything looked too without the constant haze of smoke.
The only downside though is that instead of the pub smelling like smoke, it just smells of old men now!!
Vic, I?d have to say that the ban isn?t fighting against the rights of smokers but has been implemented to protect the rights of non-smokers who are forced to endure second-hand smoke as a by-product of smokers. This is why you can?t make comparisons with alcohol, fatty foods, etc which when consumed do no harm to other people in close vicinity.
Yes alcohol may effect society in different ways (crime and violence) and fatty foods do so with putting pressure on hospitals, but these do not happen with every drinker/eater, where as every cigarette gives off smoke, and this is why there should be no smoking in public places.
Smoking is not illegal, it?s just you can?t smoke in certain places, but you can smoke at home, etc which means you still have the choice.
A bit of a long winded answer from me which probably doesn?t make too much sense but I know what I mean?.
How am I supposed to pull in pubs and clubs now that women will be able to see my face clearly and smell my BO? Its a travesty I tell thee!
How is it any different from before?? There?s only so much that smoke can hide!
I can?t be arsed with a constructive, intelligent, well composed answer, so I?d just like to add my thoughts that Vic?s comment was utter bollocks and completely pathetic. There, I said it.