Are you ready for England smoking ban?

From July 1st, Smoking will be forbidden in virtually all enclosed public places including offices, factories, pubs and bars

newsforums.bbc.co.uk

...Campaign group Freedom2Choose has launched a legal challenge to the forthcoming ban, saying it contravenes the European Convention on Human Rights.

(visit the link for the full news article)





[edit on 29/6/2007 by deaman88]

Is this about challenging personal freedoms?

Is it not bad enough that a box of 20 cigarretes costs 10 dollars in the UK, that smokers are being targetted because they are hooked?

Instead of this Law, why couldnt they give free patches to those who want to stop, and leave the rest of the smokers in peace?

Smokers are addicts, shouldn't we be entitled to free rehab? or other treatments?

All they are doing, is saying if you want to kill yourself, do it outside or in your own home. What we don't hear is hey here's some free stuff to help you quit.



newsforums.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

Originally posted by deaman88
Is this about challenging personal freedoms?

I don't really think this is a 'freedom' issue (a clever but ultimately irrelevant argument against the ban put forward by the smoking lobby in my view - go smoke outside if you want to. If we must drag civil liberties into this, I want to be free of lung cancer, thank you very much). Think how much money a smoker would save if they quit, think how much healthier they would be (thus costing the NHS less and saving bed space) and think how much longer they'd live (they'd be able to work longer, thus contribute more tax to the health system to pay for their use of it after retirement).

Originally posted by deaman88Instead of this Law, why couldnt they give free patches to those who want to stop, and leave the rest of the smokers in peace?

Smokers are addicts, shouldn't we be entitled to free rehab? or other treatments?

The NHS offer schemes to help smokers quit - you see them advertised pretty regularly (remember the adverts with the gunk being squeezed out of arteries? That was one advertising campaign, for instance). I believe these include personal encouragement as well as nicotine patches and so forth. It's down to a smoker's willpower now... there really is no excuse. It seems to have worked very well in Northern Ireland and Scotland, so I fail to see why there will be any difference in England.

[edit on 29/6/07 by Ste2652]

Smoking is a personal choice.

Or in other words people "become hooked" because they choose to.

I would venture that, unless you have been living under several very large rocks in the past 20+ years you might have noticed the consistent medical advice coming from all round the civilised world that smoking is very very bad for you, and for the other people around you as well. Its on adverts, its in medical advice, its even on the box.

So anyone who chose to take up smoking in the past 20 years has decided that they really don't give a toss about themselves or the rest of society around them, and as such challenge other peoples personal freedoms NOT to inhale several carcinigens, toxic chemicals and micro-ash deposits.

Now, speaking as someone with Asthma, who has suffered from it all his life and who has also died once and been resusciatated because of a bad asthma attack and who STILL cannot get free prescription medication for his condition, the idea that free help should be given to people who have CHOSEN to screw up their respiratory system and/or give themselves cancer is laughable.

"Heres some free stuff to help you quit".

Yeah right.

Ah, but heres the 'kicker' to the whole story, and one I've not seen in the main news outlets about as yet.

A lot of places near where I live have not just banned smoking on their premisses, but also the land they own. So in cases such as very large malls (or shopping centers for us english) such as the metro center, they are also talking about banning a person smoking in THEIR OWN CAR if on their land. Now to me a car is like a small embassy for my house. I own it, I clean it so I can do anything in it as long as its not ilegal.

So far I'm seeing a lot of places going completely overboard due to this law and enforcing it in ways it was never meant to. Banning smoking outside in the open air wasn't the idea. Yet some companies are enforcing this as if it was a FACT in this law.

I have no problem in many ways with a smoking ban, just because I wish to smoke doesn't mean others should have to 'put up with it'. However to ban the oppotunity for private clubs to be smoking freindly is a bit harsh. That way if someone wanted to join a clucb where smoking was allowed they would be warned WELL in advance.

I see this in many ways as a doube standard by the british goverment. Firstly as Mr Bair our now EX prime minister, only stopped smoking an hour before he married his wife lol. Secondly it is seen as socially acceptable now (to a point) to take drugs such as coc aine and smoke some more exotic things.

In letters columns of newspapers the last few days I've noticed quite a few people chanting 'lets ban drinking next! it does even more harm!'

I do not wish to live in a nanny state that makes decisions for me, or holds my hand and tut tuts if they perceive I do something they dont like. If I want to bugger up my body in new and intersting ways , thats up to me providing I am willing to foot the cost. Both health wise and finacially.

One extra point is this, lets assume everyone does indeed stop smoking. Where is any goverment going to find a replacement for all the taxes they would lose? You can bet as sure as god made little apples that its not going to appear from nowhere.

I will not stop smoking just because any goverment 'wishes it' or makes life harder for me. I'll stop when I want to, and at no other time. No ammount of pressure will change that, and I'm not alone either. I dont apprettiate people using smoking as basically yet another form of discrimination against me or others. Any sort of discrimination is wrong in my book. Be it racism, sexism or proclaiming all smokers spawn of satan for having a cig. (When the vast majority of people saying this do things equally as unhealthy themselves.)

My bet is this....in 30 or so years asssuming the vast majority have stopped smoking cigarettes, the lung cancer rate will be only a very small percentage lower than now. Lets see how they explain that.

Sorry if my view on this offend anyone, but I feel that as a smoker I'm allowed my say without fear of being verbally abused for it.

Wayne...

I should add a couple of things I feel.

Firstly I chose to smoke because I want to, I have as much freedom of choice as anyone else.

I've had serious asthma all my life (yep bad combo I know before anyone gives me earache over it.)

My aunty recently died of lung cancer...she never smoked a day in her life or was even in the same room as a smoker. Yes I know things like this 'happen' but it does prove not all lung cancer is caused by smokers.

Also remember the MASSIVE ammounts of money that smokers pay in taxes, the majority of which would pay for the health serve with ease. So the 'costing money' argument makes little sense. People are just using it as yet another stick to bash those they disapprove of with.

It could be argued that in some countries where there is a right to bear arms that this does exponetionally more harm to people than 2nd hand smoke ever has.

Wayne...

[edit on 29/6/2007 by the secret web]

Smoking should be banned in indoor places such as shopping centres, shops, restaurants and the usual saturday afternoon rabble most middle class folk visit. But with the exception that the shop owners can decide whether or not to accomodate smokers. Pubs and clubs for example should still be allowd smoking, as most people do enjoy a smoke on those occasions, and air conditioning usually helps ease the smoke.. and general boozehead aromas anyway..

The smoking ban we have is a "test" so to speak. The elite do this frequently to gauge the publics reaction. Most people can see that the upcoming ban, and the promotion of it (which really makes me sick!), really lets our governments true colours shine through. It IS an assault on freedom, because of the way they intend to go about it.

As usual, they care only for the "nomal law abiding citizen".. ie, the ones who are most likely to vote and support these idiots in power! They don't care whether someone can enjoy a spliff in their own home, or other psychadelics for that matter.. so long as the government says its bad, they agree, and the same goes for this smoking ban.

What annoys me is they target smoking in general, and don't even touch the alcohol industry! Your allowd to gloss up drinking with sexy adverts and eye catching "screenplay", but not allowd to show Tom smoking in the old classic cartoon "Tom and Jerry"!

It just saddens me that people are just willing to accept this ban because the government says "smoking is bad", but not actualy question the validity of the proposed laws.

Oh, and im a smoker, in case you hadn't noticed.

Isnt there more people die from alcohol related diseases than smoking related in the UK. Although I do agree with the ban but i think they should be a lot harder on the alcohol and drug scene .

The amount of havoc and violence caused by young kids out on the beer is totally out of control. Go to the local hospitial at 1 or 2 am on a weekend and nearly everyone in the accident and emergency is pissed up.

We have that ban here in Norway. All smoking indoors while in public buildings (Shopping centers, stores, resteraunts etc.) are a no go. While smoking in your own home (or car) is of course, free choice.

I'm not a smoker, so I was happy to know I can go out without having to worry about second hand smoke. (I've lived my child hood with a 2 pack a day mother. My younger brother even has breathing problems.) However, I feel that banning smoking on or in ones own property is over stepping the boundries.

My girl friend smokes. She was a bit ticked at first, but got used to it rather quickly. I use snuff myself. (snus for Norwegians/Swedes) And I've tried quitting several times. So I can assure you, nicotine is highly addictive.

Frontkjemper

**Edit**

The_Coo

The amount of havoc and violence caused by young kids out on the beer is totally out of control. Go to the local hospitial at 1 or 2 am on a weekend and nearly everyone in the accident and emergency is pissed up.

Oh yeah, big time here in Norway too. I've been on a couple myself. (Keyword couple.) And I have to say, venturing in to town on a friday-saturday night bodes bad news. Kids drunk and violent, seeking a fight with who ever. Something desperately needs to be done with it.

[edit on 29-6-2007 by Frontkjemper]

Am I ready? Well, not particulary... BUT I can see things from a non-smokers point of view and will oblige with the new law.

Since the non smoking majority have had their way as it where, i'd like to gain support for an anti-obese law to be brought forward. Fast food joints/ supermarkets should have a set of scales at the entrance, everyone should be weighed and those who are classed as above normal should only be able to eat healthy foods and salads, their choice SHOULD be taken away, in theory reducing bed space in hospitals due to weight related illnesses. Obese people should be banned from Mcdonalds and if seen eating anything related they should be fined.

Whos with me?!

I lived in an area that had a smoking ban put in place about five years ago. All my friends were and are still smokers. Smokers put up a fuss but after a few months the "rage" of having the smoking ban quited down and smoking outside is a common thing now.

The worst thing about it is that everyone from pubs and cafes etc end up standing outside on the pavements in large groups having a smoke , so at a weekend some areas are really gross to walk down because of the stench of stale tabocco smoke.

And theres also the dread of walking past a pub with a bunch of drunken smokers standing around outside.

Its already happened all over the US.

As a nonsmoker I like the idea, but it is a bit of an overreaching law.

I think it should be ok to smoke in a bar. #, people are drinking and smoking pretty much goes hand in hand with that.

Offices, shopping centers, and other public places fine.

You won't notice it too much trust me. Just go have a bum outside.

Not really a huge deal.

Or you could just quit altogether .

Originally posted by biggie smalls
Its already happened all over the US.

Not on this level

I'm an American and have travelled to Cali and a few of the 'strict' places to be a smoker in the states, but this smoking ban in the UK is just what it says...A Smoking Ban!

Even the pubs are advertising signs for the July 1st breach on personal and business owner rights...err I mean smoking ban

A bar/club is an atmosphere where one would expect smoking and drinking. It's a privately owned establishment and the owner should be able to make that call at his discretion. I fully agree with banning smoke at other places, work, stores, etc... most are places that people frequent and should be able to do so with out being bothered by smoke or any other outside 2nd hand hazards.

But bars and clubs That's taken things a bit too far, imo. Anyways the typical club and bar crowd don't mind the smoke. They've been going for years to the same bars over and over....if the smoking truly affecting them that much they would have quit years ago.

Can we still smoke in the streets, crowded places like Piccadilly and Oxford?

[edit on 30/6/2007 by SportyMB]