Smoking heads up

[Last_Crusader]

For all those interested, the UK smoking ban in public places was just passed.

[Denny Crane!]

I hate cigarettes and hate having to breath other peoples smoke but the Labour government is regulation mad. They are seeking to control all aspects of our lives.

Peter

[Justinian]

That's interesting, we just passed a law in New Jersey banning smoking in all public places except for the casinos in Jersey City.

[Sétanta]

That's interesting, we just passed a law in New Jersey banning smoking in all public places except for the casinos in Jersey City.

As did washington. And its banned. Everywhere. Even in casinos.

And you aren't allowed within 4 feet of strippers at a strip club. Bastard politicians.

[Perikles]

MPs have voted by huge margins to ban smoking from all pubs and private members' clubs in England.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4709258.stm

I agree with Cowen70 on both of his points.
Smoking is bad and should be stopped in all public places - I don't want to breathe in second hand smoke!
But on the other hand is this just the a case of the 'Nanny State Strikes Again'...

[imb39]

No. I disagree... What about the workers, they are breathing in toxic substances... just because people are addicted to something, doesn't mean that they can inflict it on other people. Smoking does that in a way that other drugs just don't.

Having said that, I am totally against things like the ID cards etc. So yes, there is a nanny state thing going.

[RZZZA]

Y'know, the case against second hand smoke has been completely overblown these past few years. Second hand smoke doesnt noticably harm people UNLESS theyre working or staying a long time in an environment such as a smoke filled bar for hours...like 8 hours a day. Then, yes, its like youre smoking yourself. But if you just inhale a bit of secondhand smoke somewhere outside, lol puh leeze that is not really harming you, please get a life and worry about what youre doing and not what someone else is doing. Eating that cheeseburger is about as bad for you as cigarettes are anyway.

P.S. from this point on, I will no longer call them cigarettes, I call them squares because cigarettes is a dirty french word that sucks. :wink:

heres one source anyway...http://www.lpconline.com/secondhand_smoke.html

[Denny Crane!]

No. I disagree... What about the workers, they are breathing in toxic substances... just because people are addicted to something, doesn't mean that they can inflict it on other people. Smoking does that in a way that other drugs just don't.

Having said that, I am totally against things like the ID cards etc. So yes, there is a nanny state thing going.

It is not the ban I disagree with it is what it represents, the intrusion into our lives. As you say the nanny state thing. What is next alcohol, no more G and T....

Peter

[IronBrig4]

Here in California, smoking is banned in ALL public buildings except for the Indian casinos. You know what? I love every bit of this. Smoking is not only a disgusting habit, but it is inflicted upon others as well. Sure, there's the old argument, "If you don't like a restaurant where there are smokers, just eat elsewhere". However, that argument does not consider the bartenders and waiters who have to put up with smoke 8 hours a day. And no, getting a job elsewhere is not a valid solution.

[RZZZA]

The right to smoke shouldnt be banned in outside areas, though. If youre outside and in a public space there is no reason why people should be grilling you about your "disgusting habit". I dont have much of a problem about people being concious about the health risks of smoke and second hand smoke in public enclosed areas, but smokers should not have to put up with any form of discrimination if theyre smoking outside. And this is where all this is heading imo, people want to ban smoking nationwide because its in their eyes the right thing to do, from a health perspective.

[imb39]

Tell that to Roy Castle. Ooops you can't... OK, then, his relatives.

Rzzza, presumably, then, you'll stop using perhaps 1/2 of the English language...

[Tom Paine]

Personally, I am cheering this mmeasure on. Of course, I am asthmatic. Which means I have a particular take on the issue. I can be in town, or in a restaurant (I guess could be now...) and sit down and, wow, someone near me lights up. Nothing I can do about it, except try not to gasp for breath too impolitely.

On the other hand Labour is going mad.... its just that this is one bit of supposed nanny-stateness I'm glad of.

[RZZZA]

I dont care about no Roy Castle...I didnt kill that guy. *shrug*


*lights a square*

Y'know, I think its just an A-hole attention ho thing to do to light up a square in a closed confined space, especially around non-smokers. People who smoke for a long time tend to forget, but smoking literally stinks. It stinks up your clothes, it stinks up your breath, the smoke clings to fabric and stinks up everything. Smokers are used to it and dont consider it a particularly offensive odor, but non smokers can pick up that stink from 50 yards away. Its just inconsiderate to smoke indoors nowadays unless you specifically get permission from the owner of wherever youre at. Smokers should always go outside, or in a place with just good ventilation...if youre smoking, crack a few windows get some airflow going, spray some febreze...whatever you gotta do. Theres no reason you cant enjoy a square without offending people, it may just take a little extra effort on your part, but hey...do you want to light up that square or not?!

Square = cigarette my entire life, its only on the forums that I have to speak this way. I dont really talk this way in real life you know, I just have to "white it up" a bit for you guys. In real life theres usually no need for correct grammar and proper enunciation. I mean, 'nunciation, yo! (maddox, ehh...kinda inside joke)

[Erik]

Does this ban include bars? (or "pubs", whatever you call them)

We have a smoking ban for several years now, but bars are excluded.
And I'm LOVING it.
Especially at the train station.
Before the ban when you were waiting for your train 9/10 times somebody would smoke a cigarette right next to you.

I'm not afraid of the halth risk, but they stink!
If 50% of people smelled like rotting fish I would also be for a "rotting fish" ban in oublic places.
I don't care about the "nanny state" or "civil liberties" arguments, people who smoke just have to do it somewhere where they don't bother me.

BTW: Britain was already a nanny state because they tell people when to leave the pub (it's 11pm, isn't it?), and you can't even smoke some weed in the privacy of your own home.

[Drunken]

Any one know if this includes pubs ? For example can a pub specify its self as a smoking pub, and have a sign saying that people enter at their own risk of breating in smoke ?

[Tom Paine]

Any one know if this includes pubs ? For example can a pub specify its self as a smoking pub, and have a sign saying that people enter at their own risk of breating in smoke ?

If it serves food, IIRC, then it can't; if it doesn't serve food, no problems....

Erik, its 24hr opening at the pubs now...

[Tom Paine]

Outside? Fine, so long as its not enclosed (no, really, it does have an effect, I can testify to that); outside, in an open space, smoke to your heart's content (and your lungs' detriment...) but not inside...

[RZZZA]

Yeah, second hand smoke has an adverse affect on asthma, and I totally sympathize with you on that. I've always been skeptical about the idea that second hand smoke is soo dangerous to people though, but apparently there have been cases where nonsmokers have actually gotten cancer from secondhand smoke. I still think its only really dangerous if youre exposed for a long amount of time to the smoke, but really, that is your own damn fault if you are.

Would you spend 8 hours in a room that is being fumigated? No, so how would you rationalize that a smoky room is any safer for your health? The only difference is that it might not be immediatly harmful...but in the longerm...

[Tom Paine]

Actually, the effect is pretty apparent in the short term. Over the course of a meal it can have health risks to the asthmatic.
Although you can't develope lung cancer that quickly, it does have an effect; and over time, even many shorter doses I believe can lead to lung cancer.

[RZZZA]

Yeah well the asthamtic is totally different, I agree with you that asthamatics have it the worst, a little pollen or dust could even set them off and close off their breathing passages

But really, I dont think people can really predict just what exactly smoke does to a person. There have been people smoking for 40 years with no lung cancer, and then I hear something like thay Roy Orbison dealy where a nonsmoker gets lung cancer...fro SECOND HAND smoke?

It seems complicated and quite random to me.