Three Towns Forum
Members' Lounge => Politics & Current Affairs => Topic started by: Fester on July 16, 2011, 10:11:52 pm
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The town in the attached article is looking to impose a TOTAL smoking ban in ANY open places.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-14174031 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-14174031)
Now, I have to state that I am a non-smoker, have never smoked, and really dislike smoking personally... but even I wince when I think about the repercussions and impacts of this.
I don't think the world is ready for it, and I believe that you would need to recruit an extra 400,000 police officers to enforce it!
What do members think?
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I also don't smoke but I can't see the point in bringing in a total ban which would be unenforceable and probably cause trouble through arguements between the two factions when someone lit up, especially late at night when you introduce alcohol into the mix. It could lead to fights over a relatively petty thing, this in turn leads to arrests & casualties etc...
Where would it end?
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Fester you are right. I am a reformed fifty a day man, and there is none more against smoking than the likes of me. But no smoking in the open air? Might as well stop scratching your ear, or any other unpleasant habit you might have -- the mind bogges.
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So because the police can't or more likely would be unwilling to police this we shouldn't bring it in? Rubbish, get it in. Smoking should be banned full stop, only given to the addicts who are hooked now on prescription to stop future generaions getting hooked. My biggest annoyance is outdoor music festivals where drunken young idiots think it's perfectly acceptable to wave fags about in tight crowds where you can barely move your arms,,, $angry$ Smokers are inconsiderate and blame everyone but themselves for the reason they are addicted to the horrible things.
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It might not seem like it, but I think we are all saying the same thing thus far...
i.e, smoking is bad, and a ban is desirable ....for future generations and their health.
BUT... how is it enforceable?
Mike... you scratch your ear? ....In public? Thats disgusting and should be banned too. :laugh:
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I can't see the point in bringing in a total ban
But that's not what's being proposed. The idea under consideration is the same as New York: a ban in open but public places. That can mean streets, but not - in NY's case - all streets.
One bonus could be that it might reduce the numbers of young women smoking. The numbers of male smokers have been falling steadily for years, but young females seem attracted to the idea.
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One thing I have noticed....is that it can be very annoying when you sit down outside a local cafe to enjoy a drink in the sun and someone sits down at the next table and lights up, resulting in you getting a constant stream of their smoke in your face. Some smokers are very considerate in that respect, of course, but most aren't. It's the same as me sitting next to someone and shouting loudly into a mobile phone whilst they are trying to enjoy their drink in peace. I wonder if any forward thinking central Llandudno Coffee Shop & Restaurant owners would like to be the first to introduce such a policy?
Given that only 21% of the UK population now smoke, the wishes of the majority should prevail.
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I'm a non smoker (I'm far too tight to waste money on that! ) but if no one smoked where would the tax be added to? WWW
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I'm a non smoker (I'm far too tight to waste money on that! ) but if no one smoked where would the tax be added to? WWW
They would spend the money on other things that would generate tax revenue? :P
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but if no one smoked where would the tax be added to?
The legalisation of certain drugs would make a good start.
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I must admit that I hate smoking but think that to ban it in the open air may be a step too far. I've read about a ban coming into force in Wales where it will be illegal for an adult to smoke in their car when they also have a child in the car with them but that's a slightly different matter when the smoker can effect the health of others.
Having said that I'm sure that these selfish smokers will be smoking in their own homes in front of these children and any damage to the child's health will already have been done in their own home!
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A difficult one this,smoking in the street and/or outside buildings makes life awkward for me, being asthmatic and cigarette smoke being a trigger. Since the smoking ban I tend to hold my breath whilst walking past a cloud of smoke ( awkward if it is a large one ;D0). Nowadays people tend to spit in the street more, drop litter and let their dogs foul the streets. Only last night I followed a couple with a large dog which left a long line of muck all along a stretch of Gloddaeth Ave.
The last two actions are all ready fineable offences, the first revolting and unhygienic, but it is a rare occasion when someone is caught and fined.
Twice this week I have seen drivers smoking whilst in their work vehicles, one a dustwagon, so how on earth will the new regime be policed, if implemented, if everything else is ignored?
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My OH does not smoke in the house and while she continues to have the filthy habit she will confine her addiction to the garden area! I sensibly gave up 26 years ago and have saved a fortune over the years. :P
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We are like you Yorkie, My OH and i gave up 24 and 22 years ago respectively, we used to smoke 30 a day each i am ashamed to say, I hate to think what that would cost us each week now.
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but if no one smoked where would the tax be added to?
The legalisation of certain drugs would make a good start.
Surely that would encourage people to start smoking again? ;D
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My OH and I have recently returned from a holiday in London, where the high population (I was going to say "dense population" but I didn't want to appear to be casting aspersions) and large number of businesses (presumably without provision for smokers) result in many smokers on the streets. Like Nemesis, my OH has asthma and tries to hold his breath when walking through clouds of smoke but if he'd tried this in central London he would soon have gone blue in the face! Eating outside at a cafe or restaurant would have been unpleasant, as DaveR pointed out, due to the number of smokers there, while sitting in a park to eat sandwiches was almost as hazardous. Even in Llandudno one sometimes has to "run the gauntlet" to get into some places, due to smokers congregating just outside the doors.
The current smoking ban has improved the inside of restaurants and pubs, etc but has had the effect of moving the smoke onto the streets - did the legislators not forsee this? Banning smoking on trains had a similar effect. When there was a smoking carriage it wasn't too bad for non-smoking travellers but was obviously hard on non-smoking train staff. After smoking on trains was banned it suddenly became difficult to find a smoke-free area on the platform. Now the platforms are OK but it can be hard to avoid smoke if waiting for a lift or taxi outside a station - particularly if there's any shelter over the entrance.
I've been really disappointed in this side effect of the smoking ban, as I feel that I'm now encountering more smoke than I did before. Secondhand smoke may not be as harmful in the open air as in an enclosed room but it's still unpleasant to non-smokers - maybe as unpleasant as me singing on the street (which I don't do out of consideration for others) or Mike scratching his ear!
If you're still with me, this is a rather long winded way of saying that I would certainly like to see more restrictions to smoking in public places!