Put it out?

[The Flying Mouse]

I'll explain this for our foreign friends who may not know what this is about.
There is a big push at the moment by a medical advisor to the government to ban smoking in all public places.This means you can't even light up in the pub while your having a beer .
There are already a lot of places that don't allow smoking.Resteraunts for instance.Now that I can understand,but I think a no smoking area is enough.Hey,i'm a smoker,i'm biased .

I think the main points against and for a ban are...

Against.

1.Tax.Tobacco is the most highly taxed product in the UK.A ban would cost the government a LOT of money.

2.Freedom.It is the right of every adult in the UK to (as I put it) commit suiside on the instalment plan.A ban would be an infingment on civil liberties.

3.Beer without cigs?

4.I smoke.Hey,to me this is a very importaint point .

For.

1.Umpleasant for non smokers present.

2.Passive smoking.

3.Costs the NHS a lot of money.

I think this will basically be a survey on how many of our members smoke,but it would be interesting to hear from smokers who are in favour of the ban,or non members who are agaist it.

In addition,I've seen a preview of a TV ad campaign by the government that will be out next week warning the dangers of passive smoking.It shows very young children with streams of smoke comming out of their mouths.But consider this,how many two year olds do you know that pop down to their local for a swift half? Children don't belong in pubs so it's a mute point .

[Jayd]

Very bad habit, but hey if people want to kill themselves slowly, I have no objection, if they let me have a drink or eat a meal without having to breath in all that bad nasty stuff

[Rob The Badger]

Filthy habit. But hey, I don't drink neither. . .

[mariella]

Originally Posted by Eyeore

Filthy habit. But hey, I don't drink neither. . .

Do both...

Love,

Mariella

[Chris]

Smoke occasionally but

Why does this government feel the need to continually mollycoddle the Britsih public. We are now having discussions on whether adults should be allowed to smoke or not (BTW, as the House of Commons is a memebers only area, it would be excluded from any ban.) There are debates on whether we should be allowed to hunt (I am biased as I am a memeber of the local hunt!) and numerous other arguemetns., Why can the government not allow us to choose our own paths whikle they get on with tryign to solve the NHS crisis (smokers contribute more in taxes to the government than they cost the NHS) or even tryign to do the unthinkable and cut crime!!!!!

Also, has anyone considered the impact that such a ban would have ont hose of us who sell cigarettes. If people are encouraged it vast numbers to run the risk of becoming socail pariahs, then they will inevitably quit. this will have a devastating effect on the small convience tade as a whole.

Chris

PS. As a further point to excessive legislation, I ahve today been reading the new 28 page document detailing the rules regarding employing paperboys. Right down to the fact that I must now accept liability if a paperrboy falls off his bike after gettting a puncture or something.

The phrase hell in a handcart springs to mind!!!

[CarolM]

okay i admit it i drink and smoke

[The Flying Mouse]

Originally Posted by Mrs Mouse

okay i admit it i drink and smoke

That's a bloody understatment

[dottie]

Originally Posted by mariella

Do both...

Love,

Mariella

Me to - not in the house, never in front of grandchildren, or in the street - in the privacy of my own back garden, and never, ever in front of Ellis who absolutely abhors me lighting up and anyone else.

[Asha]

Don't smoke, don't drink...

In holland we have the same kind of push...It has come to a head awhile back between the pubs and government...Now everybody is still alowed to smoke in pubs, atleast untill 1-1-04...Then the government is gonna evaluate the new rules/laws and see if the can bann smoking in pubs as well..

Well, this doesn't explain the whole situation but i think it is some what the same in England at the moment.

Asha

[original sin]

if you give me a beer and give me a smoke and give me til the end of the night...........

[Shane]

There are similar moves underway in New Zealand. I support them.

[Rob The Badger]

Yay, some people agree with me. . .

[evil nickname]

Originally Posted by Asha

Well, this doesn't explain the whole situation but i think it is some what the same in England at the moment.

Actually, here in Holland it's being put as "an employees right to work in a smoke-free environment"
But I think it should be up to the owners of bars, restaurants, etc to decide whether smoking is allowed or not. If you don't want to work in a smoky place, you're most likely not going to work in a bar anyway. And if you wanna work there anyway, you shouldn't complain about the smoke. Same goes for guests... you don't have to go into a bar if it's filled with smoke, now do you?

William

[heat]

Only just saw this topic.

I do drink a little, ok a lot , but i don't smoke, though hubbs does.

I don't think that smoking in public places should be banned as i don't believe the government should be allowed to dictate how we should live our lives - they do it enough already.

Have seen the new TV ad about children passive smoking, and it really hits home - hubbs was watching it as boys were playing on the rug on the floor...he soon put his fag out sharpish...

[Em]

Don't smoke and would support any move to ban smoking in public places.
Hate breathing in other peoples smoke.

[Taipan]

Chris,

I don't want to start an argument, but I'd hardly call banning hunting, "mollycoddling" anyone.

[Chris]

I know that may have been a contentious area to highlight but it was purely to sure how the government is continully trying to reduce our freedom fo choice.

[Asha]

The vote is even now, 50/50

Asha

So what doe is mean, do we put them out or leave them on???

[Tim]

I think smoking (and drinking alcohol) is your own choice. Nobody can say something about it. That's wrong.

If you buy sigarettes now, on the package there are different lines, like: If you are smoking, you die early!!

That is stupid. You have to buy a pack of sigarettes first to read the text????? How strange...
Smoke free enviroments are an option. But there must be a place for the smoking people.

If they want to smoke, let them. I don't think that non-smokers or other people are the ones who can say things about it....

The Butcher.

[CarolM]

here here.

[Em]

Tim said

If they want to smoke, let them. I don't think that non-smokers or other people are the ones who can say things about it....

I don't have any problems with people smoking if they want to. I just don't like them smoking in public places. Hate coming home from pubs with my clothes, hair etc smelling of cigarette smoke. Not many things irritate me these days but someone else's smoke drifting in my direction does. Do you think smokers have the right to make the environment unpleasant for other people?
Lets have more smoke free pubs.

[Tim]

Originally Posted by Em

Tim said

I don't have any problems with people smoking if they want to. I just don't like them smoking in public places. Hate coming home from pubs with my clothes, hair etc smelling of cigarette smoke. Not many things irritate me these days but someone else's smoke drifting in my direction does. Do you think smokers have the right to make the environment unpleasant for other people?
Lets have more smoke free pubs.

I agree with you, but on the other hand... a pub where smoking is allowed is very nice or how do you say it... euh.... Like a Blues Club... when people are not smoking.... don't know how i must make it clear.. but do you get the point???

But if you want to make a non-smoking pub and a smoking pub, i think that would be strange..... Oh my god... i don't know how to explain in english... i will say it in Dutch... if someone could translate it... please do:

Oke, een cafe met een rokers en niet rokers gedeelte is een beetje discriminerend vind ik. Het geeft ook een bepaalde sfeer aan in het cafe, zoals ik zei bij een Blues Club of een Bruin Cafe.. het geeft een beetje sfeer. Echt super. Mensen moeten gewoon blijven roken als ze dat willen... als een niet roker er last van heeft moet deze het gewoon zeggen.

The Butcher.

[R.]

fyi - http://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertai...ment-nightlife

[evil nickname]

Little late, I guess, but I'll give it a go then.

Originally Posted by Tim

Oke, een cafe met een rokers en niet rokers gedeelte is een beetje discriminerend vind ik. Het geeft ook een bepaalde sfeer aan in het cafe, zoals ik zei bij een Blues Club of een Bruin Cafe.. het geeft een beetje sfeer. Echt super. Mensen moeten gewoon blijven roken als ze dat willen... als een niet roker er last van heeft moet deze het gewoon zeggen.

The Butcher.

would then translate into

Originally Posted by Tim

Ok, a bar with a smoking and non-smoking section is a bit discriminating, I think. [Smoke] also gives a particular atmosphere to a blues-club or a pub.. a touch. Really cool. People should just continue to smoke if they want to... and if a non-smoker objects, he should just speak up.

De Slager.

Unless I'm really mistaken here, this must capture the essence of what Tim's trying too say.

William, the translator :)