Let's have a heated debate - Public Smoking Ban

[Marc]

as has been said, Landlords Choice should be the rule, afterall its their establisment, its their pocket getting filled with money, so it SHOULD be their choice. They can do their own research and ask people coming into their pub to quickly tick a box or two regarding the issue then in a few months tally up the results and see where it all lies......SIMPLE.......even a 5 year old could do that but OH NO the Government dive in with all this "Immediate Ban In ALL Pubs" rubbish.....thats absolute bollocks!

Restaurants yes ban it, on the streets DONT band it....you gonna ban cars/lorrys aswell from pollluting the air around you? no!

I'm a non-smoker, I voted Against the Ban! (mainly for pubs)

 

[sparkie]

Oh for christs sake, does COMMON BLOODY SENSE not come into this then ? If there is one smoker who will get into a strop because the majority who are non-smokers want to go to a non-smoking pub, then tell "stroppy" to either piss off somewhere else, or dive outside when they want a ciggy.

At least people are left with a choice.

Good point. Can't see it causing too many problems and if "stroppy" has to drink in non-smoking bars half the time, then "stroppy's mates" only need frequent smoking bars the other half of the time rather than all the time as it is now.

 

[The Wookiee]

Being a smoker I agree smoking should be totally banned in all eating establishments. This includes pubs where food is their main business eg. Harvester's, Brewers Fayres and Carvery type establishments.

Smoking should not be banned in your run of the mill 'local' where drink is the main business with the odd cheese and ham roll on offer, there should be non smoking sections or where there is a saloon and lounge bar, designate these as a smoking bar and non smoking bar.

In pubs where there main income is from regulars with the occasional outsider visiting, landlords should ask them their opinions, if the majority want their pub smoke free then make it so and if the majority want it to be a smokers pub then thats what it will be.

Smoking should be allowed in night clubs but only in a 'smoking room' this could be a chill out room with its own bar and perhaps its own DJ !!

If smoking is banned totally in pubs and clubs and restaurants, there could be a good business opportunities to open up 'smoking dens' where you can eat, drink and smoke. Perhaps the government can insist in some of the profits going to cancer research or other such charities.

Any thoughts?

 

[Easy 10]

Every pub which sells food is going to be left with a choice. Stop the food, or stop the smoking.

I dunno what my local is going to do. He only serves food at weekends as there's not enough call for it during the week. But if this new law comes in, he'll have to either ban all his smoking customers through the week, or stop serving food at weekends. Thats just bloody ridiculous.

He'll lose business one way or the other, whatever he chooses. My guess is that the food at weekends probably brings in more money overall, so he'll carry on serving that, and probably have to lose a shedload of midweek patrons because they're not allowed to smoke in his pub any more.

Rock and a hard place isn't it. And all because of the "zero tolerence" and complete lack of comrpomise from the anti-smoking lobby. Wouldn't be surprised if we see quite a few of the smaller pubs going under as a direct result of this.

 

[Little Piggy]

Oh for christs sake, does COMMON BLOODY SENSE not come into this then ? If there is one smoker who will get into a strop because the majority who are non-smokers want to go to a non-smoking pub, then tell "stroppy" to either piss off somewhere else, or dive outside when they want a ciggy.

At least people are left with a choice.

Hey hey, less of the capitals now Mr.

Perhaps it was a poor example. I don't claim to know the best solution. All I think is that non-smokers should not have to work around the smokers and can't help but feel that going on the offensive seems to be the only way to make a point. I really do believe that smokers pus will get more business given the choice because I believe most people like me will go with the stroppy friend just to keep them happy, as the smoke is not that big of a deal to me. So it would not work. Thats all I'm saying.

EDIT:
With regards to the stroppy friend I spoke about, he doesn't exist. I was just trying to have a subtle dig at smokers by suggesting that they are stubborn and sulky and scared of change.

 

[Pavilionaire]

To be honest, I get hacked off going out for a night and coming back with my clothes stinking of smoke.

I also get irritated when smoke blows over my face, when ash gets on my clothes and when the occasional twat puts a burn mark on your jacket. Not to mention the health aspects...

 

[Bwian]

This is quite easy to understand:

If you smoke in a public place I do not have a choice. I either stay there and get smoke related discomfort-or if I want to breathe normally I leave.

Hardly mutually acceptable.

If the public place is non-smoking we all have a mutually acceptable situation. You can still enter the place and step outside when you want a cigarette. I'm not affected by your smoke and you can come and go as you please. In your preferred option of allowing smoking-where is my choice? You don't like smoke then piss off elsewhere while we stay here and smoke for England.

It is far easier for smokers to be accomodating concerning their habit. Nobody is saying go elsewhere-all you need to do is take your smoke outside with you, have a cigarette and go back in.

Simplest thing is to give it up-you'll be amazed at the things you can afford to buy yourself with the money you spend on cigs.

And then you can wind up all of the smokers about their filthy habit

 

[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

If only most non-smokers could take your point about being equal. Check the poll thus far - 11 votes from non-smokers against the ban (including myself)

Er slight distortion of the facts there..... as 75% of respondents are non-smokers it's logical that there would be more 'reasonable' non-smokers than 'reasonable' smokers'


I'll amend my previous point (aslthough it IS goin to be banned)... Smoking rooms are a good idea. Although , from my own expereince, 'smoking rooms' are the best advert in the world to give up smoking as, especially when it's really cold, smoke mist covers the room!

 

[Adams score 0]

What will i do when i have a .
Plus it makes me look hard and the women love a man smoking.
Just do not forget it is an addiction.
And i love it.

 

[London Calling]

Do you not think that landlords of pubs should be given the choice as to whether they wish people to be able to smoke in their establishment? If there are some pubs that smokers can go to then they will go to those ones and non smokes who don't wish to join them can go somewhere else.

That MUST be the easiest way round this.

However that assesment is based on the fact that the Landlord is the Freeholder, which in 85% of the time he/she isn't.

The Chains will dictate the terms of conditions, such as Weatherspoons has just introduced a non-smoking ban.

The Chains will introduce Non-smoking because they do not want to be hit by "health cases" as their good old bar maid sues them for a million due to her collapsing and cancerous lungs.

LC

 

[Pavilionaire]

I think the key reason this issue is a hot topic now is because the numbers of smokers have been declining steadily until the point has been reached where the majority (3/4 of those in the poll so far) don't actually smoke and feel they can flex their muscles.

This poll suggests that if 4 mates went out, only one would smoke, two of them would not want him to and the other would keep quiet to keep the peace...

 

[Rangdo]

No need for that.



Only kiddin', I only used that language because it said heated debate on the front of this thread. I really do think the only way is to give people a choice, it's worked in Canada where people are allowed to smoke in bars but nowhere else, why not here?

I don't think that landlords or smokers choice would work because nothing would change. I think smoking sections with decent airconditioning to remove the smoke in pubs would be sufficient.

 

[CHAPPERS]

My MUMMY says that air conditioning doesn't remove the toxins from the air, just the smoke.

 

[Easy 10]

Hey hey, less of the capitals now Mr.

Sorry, thats told me.
*winds neck back in*

My point was that there should be a choice between friends where they go, and reasonable human beings should be able to compromise and accommodate. I have a couple of friends who smoke. If they come round my house, they step outside the back door if they want a ciggy. If they are in my car, they wait till the journeys over before lighting up.

I have no problem with them smoking around me in a pub as it is a public place. They don't stand there puffing it in my face, and so it doesn't bother me in the slightest. I just think its a sad day when compromise, tolerence and all thoughts of workable solutions go completely out of the window in favour of outright bans.

 

[chip]

I like the idea that pus and restaurants are "public" places. They are, in fact, private being owned by companies and individuals. As such, it should be up to the owner/manager to set a policy and the staff/customers to decide whether or not to frequent the establishment.

The health grounds are somewhat spurious- the last (unpublished) WHO report which had the largest and longest sample duration actually showed that passive smoking had a very slightly positive effect on youn children, for example. If the science was good and the risk high there would be a case for interfering. Interestingly, the latest evidence seems to suggest that smoking by itself that damaging. Factor such as genetics, lifestyle, diet etc. seem to make smoking related illnes much more indivual specifc than first thought - the longest lived man and woman were both heay smokers for 80+ years.

If it was a real public health issue, we would be discussing a ban on alcohol first, then poor food, forced exercise etc. Like with banned drugs, laws seem to do little to address the real problems.

 

[Rangdo]

My MUMMY says that air conditioning doesn't remove the toxins from the air, just the smoke.

What is she, a refridgeration engineer?

 

[Marc]

If you're gonna Ban Smoking in pubs then:

1) Please can you MUTE the Big Screen for the Arsenal v Man Utd match as the sounds of Andy Gray and the fans in the pub will gradually turn me deaf over the years!

2) In the summer when its nice and I'm enjoying a pint outside the front of the Cricks, can you ban the Cars & Busses & Lorrys etc from the adjacent road/s as I dont wanna die due to motor fumes infecting my body!

3) and finally can you Ban people from using Mobile Phones in pubs as not only does the ringing affect my hearing but the radio waves or whatever they are must be affecting my bran and may cause cancer or a tumour in years to come.

Thankyou

 

[CHAPPERS]

What is she, a refridgeration engineer?

No, she's a whinging non-smoking BITCH.

 

[Rangdo]

No, she's a whinging non-smoking BITCH.

Ooooh, I like the sound of her.

 

[Easy 10]

If you're gonna Ban Smoking in pubs then:

1) Please can you MUTE the Big Screen for the Arsenal v Man Utd match as the sounds of Andy Gray and the fans in the pub will gradually turn me deaf over the years!

2) In the summer when its nice and I'm enjoying a pint outside the front of the Cricks, can you ban the Cars & Busses & Lorrys etc from the adjacent road/s as I dont wanna die due to motor fumes infecting my body!

3) and finally can you Ban people from using Mobile Phones in pubs as not only does the ringing affect my hearing but the radio waves or whatever they are must be affecting my bran and may cause cancer or a tumour in years to come.

Thankyou

YEAH.
And while we're at it, lets have a complete ban on all MUNTERS in pubs. I don't see why I should go down the Cricks and have some bird with a face like a bag of SPANNERS putting me off my pint and spoiling my evening. If she wants to be ugly, then she can bloody well go and be ugly in the privacy of her own home, where it doesn't affect anyone else but her, the selfish BITCH.