The non smoking Ban in England (bless her)
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Wanderlust
- Legend
- Posts: 2862
- Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 12:27 pm
- Location: Hua Hin
I am also a non smoker, and while I agree that the laws being introduced around the world seem draconian, I had to tolerate years and years of having nights out spoiled by the fact that every pub, club or restaurant was filled with smoke, which was particularly offensive when having a meal, let alone the potential danger of 'passive smoking'. I think that the governments have decided that they want to eliminate smoking altogether, and having failed to do so via tax they are following the next logical step which is to reduce the number of places anyone is allowed to smoke. The long term benefits for the health of the nations, and the subsequent reduced burden on health services as well as the reduced fire hazard make this a worthwhile effort, but at what cost in terms of people's liberty? It could also be the thin end of the wedge, with alcohol the next in line, followed by what else? I applaud the sentiment of trying to improve the health of the nation but I don't believe this is the way to do it. I think I would prefer they just banned cigarettes outright than attempting to do it by the politically correct back door.
Let's all us smokers quit then and take up chewing tobacco and have a spittoon in our offices, at the bus stop, on bar room floors etc. We could even start new bar games as to who can hit the pot from the furthest distance. We can compete against grandma Thai and her betel nut chew. Might even be picked up by ESPN or Star.
I'll tell you one thing, my cigarette or cigar smoke is a damn sight better smelling then the people (men and women) who walk around here with pits smelling like a buffalos arse. We need legislation to ban arm pit odor and stiff fines for those who refuse to use deodorant.
We also need to consider farting in public. Mandatory gastric tract surgery for those who can be smelled beyond a 1 square meter radius.
Babies also need to be severly punished for crapping in their nappies. They need to be genetically altered so they know what a toilet is at birth.
For those who run over an animal while driving, you must pick it up and put it in your trunk and dispose of it properly. No squirrel corpses on the streets.
Cremations are hereby forbidden worldwide, everyone must be buried or frozen. Pete
I'll tell you one thing, my cigarette or cigar smoke is a damn sight better smelling then the people (men and women) who walk around here with pits smelling like a buffalos arse. We need legislation to ban arm pit odor and stiff fines for those who refuse to use deodorant.
We also need to consider farting in public. Mandatory gastric tract surgery for those who can be smelled beyond a 1 square meter radius.
Babies also need to be severly punished for crapping in their nappies. They need to be genetically altered so they know what a toilet is at birth.
For those who run over an animal while driving, you must pick it up and put it in your trunk and dispose of it properly. No squirrel corpses on the streets.
Cremations are hereby forbidden worldwide, everyone must be buried or frozen. Pete
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Okay, a few answers.
In the UK smoking rooms cannot be allowed as smoking is explicitely banned from the workplace, which is clearly defined. A lot of places will provide designated smoking areas. Laugh or not, these can be enclosed "shelter" wise, with a back wall, but no more than that. My employer has provided a smoking garden for a long time.
Maybe the offices in Whitehall that BB described are older and don't have the room to do so, hence the street merchants. But I know a few of those places and they often have large grounds. Seems like an incompetent Civil Service if they haven't got their act together.
Now I live and work in London, and for as many years as I can remember, half of all black cabs have had no smoking signs up, simply 'cos the driver doesn't. Same with "mini cabs". Punter can take it or leave it.
Smoking in work vehicles is banned, illegal, period. If you use your own car for work and you smoke, you shouldn't with a non-smoking colleague.
BB, you are very generous. No-one smokes in my house. Period.
Its not proving to be a big deal here (with one sad exception), funny how its perceived by the expats!
In the UK smoking rooms cannot be allowed as smoking is explicitely banned from the workplace, which is clearly defined. A lot of places will provide designated smoking areas. Laugh or not, these can be enclosed "shelter" wise, with a back wall, but no more than that. My employer has provided a smoking garden for a long time.
Maybe the offices in Whitehall that BB described are older and don't have the room to do so, hence the street merchants. But I know a few of those places and they often have large grounds. Seems like an incompetent Civil Service if they haven't got their act together.
Now I live and work in London, and for as many years as I can remember, half of all black cabs have had no smoking signs up, simply 'cos the driver doesn't. Same with "mini cabs". Punter can take it or leave it.
Smoking in work vehicles is banned, illegal, period. If you use your own car for work and you smoke, you shouldn't with a non-smoking colleague.
BB, you are very generous. No-one smokes in my house. Period.
Its not proving to be a big deal here (with one sad exception), funny how its perceived by the expats!
Talk is cheap
Eventually, I'll have to put a sign up outside my house - "Beware Smoking Zone".
It has been mooted before. Can't remember which country, but it has been.
Someone brought up the issue of tax. OK make tobbacco a Class A drug tomorrow. If you smoke that evil stuff then we have the power to throw you in prison for up to 25 years. Some will take the risk of getting caught, but I would reckon the vast majority would simply stop.
But someone's got to pay the bill for all our wars etc etc. Who?
I appreciate that the amount spent from our taxes on keeping us smokers alive in hospitals will decrease. However, does any non smoker think that their rate of tax will go down?
Sorry, a not very well thought out argument, but.....
It has been mooted before. Can't remember which country, but it has been.
Someone brought up the issue of tax. OK make tobbacco a Class A drug tomorrow. If you smoke that evil stuff then we have the power to throw you in prison for up to 25 years. Some will take the risk of getting caught, but I would reckon the vast majority would simply stop.
But someone's got to pay the bill for all our wars etc etc. Who?
I appreciate that the amount spent from our taxes on keeping us smokers alive in hospitals will decrease. However, does any non smoker think that their rate of tax will go down?
Sorry, a not very well thought out argument, but.....
SteveG, that was the jist of the program relating to safe workplaces, and that was when the item came up about workmen working in peoples houses, and refusing to work in houses people smoke in.
The reason being that they were being asked to work in what they classed as an unsafe work place due to people that smoke in their houses.
The reason being that they were being asked to work in what they classed as an unsafe work place due to people that smoke in their houses.
Always Borrow Money from a Pesimist. "They Never Expect it Back"
Second hand smoke a person blows out is harmless, he/she has already absorbed all the bad goodies. Burning butts in an ashtray is the same as someone smoking, if someone else inhales it. If someone contracts cancer or other from that, they would also by smelling daily air anywhere, they're genetically prone.
The do-gooders continue on their campaign as they don't have much else to do in their lives.
Are there clinics for nicotine addicted people, like there are for hard drug addicts? I think not as the government would have to subsidize it. Take some more nickles out of the do-gooders tax pocket and you won't see them saying much anymore about smoking.
It's turned into a hobby for them. Smokers don't really care, they'll do what they want to do. Many want to quit but as you've all read, nicotine is harder to quit then heroin, but it's not treated or considered that way.
Just more global bullshit. People should pay attention to what's important to society and this one ain't even in the top 100. Pete
The do-gooders continue on their campaign as they don't have much else to do in their lives.
Are there clinics for nicotine addicted people, like there are for hard drug addicts? I think not as the government would have to subsidize it. Take some more nickles out of the do-gooders tax pocket and you won't see them saying much anymore about smoking.
It's turned into a hobby for them. Smokers don't really care, they'll do what they want to do. Many want to quit but as you've all read, nicotine is harder to quit then heroin, but it's not treated or considered that way.
Just more global bullshit. People should pay attention to what's important to society and this one ain't even in the top 100. Pete
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
I'd love to walk up to the dispatch box in the House of Commons and light up a Churchillian special and stick the stub up Browns Ar*e
RICHARD OF LOXLEY
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
More.....
In connection with the smoking ban is a big push for those that smoke to be helped to stop if they want. Here, that includes free sessions during work hours for a period of x.
But I think its little more than lip service, the onus is very much on the individual!
To repeat, it really hasn't been an issue!
In connection with the smoking ban is a big push for those that smoke to be helped to stop if they want. Here, that includes free sessions during work hours for a period of x.
But I think its little more than lip service, the onus is very much on the individual!
To repeat, it really hasn't been an issue!
Talk is cheap
Certainly all of the usual 'quitting aides' such as patches, chewing gum etc are easily available on the NHS now - my wife gets over 90 pounds worth of chewing gum at a time on a single prescription.caller wrote:More.....
In connection with the smoking ban is a big push for those that smoke to be helped to stop if they want. Here, that includes free sessions during work hours for a period of x.
But I think its little more than lip service, the onus is very much on the individual!
To repeat, it really hasn't been an issue!
Championship Plymouth Argyle 1 - 2 Leeds Utd 
Points 46; Position 23 RELEGATED
Points 46; Position 23 RELEGATED
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redzonerocker
- Rock Star
- Posts: 4777
- Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2007 3:55 pm
- Location: England
smoking
i like the varied interesting points made here, for & against.
there was an independant survey carried out on nhs costs to treat smokers, cost approx £1.5 billion a year. as there is £8.5 billion a year made from taxes on tobacco its quite a shortfall.
smoking in offices, taxis, libraries, museums, cinemas, trains, buses etc etc?? the general ban in public places has been around quite a while now.
whats new & the source of most discontent is the ban in the pub.
is it a good or bad idea? whatever tne choice, it has just been implemented in the wrong way.landlords should have been given the right to choose if they wanted a complete ban or not, especially if they smoke themselves.
now the talk of banning smokers from lighting up in the park & on footpaths etc to create a more healthy nation? thats just plain nonsense.
what will be next health drive?
ban the big mac? chips?pizzas?chocolate?
the fat police could guard the doors at the fast food outlets & restaurants & introduce weigh ins to keep the ever increasing number of chubbies in check?
sounds extreme? overweight people put a heavy burden on the health service too!
there was an independant survey carried out on nhs costs to treat smokers, cost approx £1.5 billion a year. as there is £8.5 billion a year made from taxes on tobacco its quite a shortfall.
smoking in offices, taxis, libraries, museums, cinemas, trains, buses etc etc?? the general ban in public places has been around quite a while now.
whats new & the source of most discontent is the ban in the pub.
is it a good or bad idea? whatever tne choice, it has just been implemented in the wrong way.landlords should have been given the right to choose if they wanted a complete ban or not, especially if they smoke themselves.
now the talk of banning smokers from lighting up in the park & on footpaths etc to create a more healthy nation? thats just plain nonsense.
what will be next health drive?
ban the big mac? chips?pizzas?chocolate?
the fat police could guard the doors at the fast food outlets & restaurants & introduce weigh ins to keep the ever increasing number of chubbies in check?
sounds extreme? overweight people put a heavy burden on the health service too!
Remember, no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Totally over the top
Have they banned speakers corner yet!!
Last straw
Next in line-- mini skirts, eating in public, women learning and working
Glad I'm in relatively free country. Just hope I do not have to return
Have they banned speakers corner yet!!
Last straw
Next in line-- mini skirts, eating in public, women learning and working
Glad I'm in relatively free country. Just hope I do not have to return
RICHARD OF LOXLEY
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.