'Ban won't stop people smoking'

“I believe that people will smoke whether the Government like it or not”

IN less than a months time, England will become smoke free. From July 1, smoking will be banned from virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces, ensuring a healthier environment, so everyone can ... via This is Local London

[Fred]

The ban will stop people from smoking in public places and workplaces, as it's designed to do.

[Bill Hannegan]

Fred wrote:

The ban will stop people from smoking in public places and workplaces, as it's designed to do.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/05272007/news/reg...
http://www.topix.net/city/honolulu-hi/2007/02...
http://www.topix.net/content/cbs/330465236137...
http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/20070...
http://www.gazette.com/onset...

[DavidM]

Fred wrote:

The ban will stop people from smoking in public places and workplaces, as it's designed to do.

This is not what most anti smokers what, They want to ban the smokers right to smoke a LEGAL product that is sold over the counter.

I hope this is settle soon so we can now start on fat people and what they eat. They are becoming the No 1 health cost in America. They file more workman corp claims then any other group of people including smokers.

[Kernunnos]

It's not the governments business to tell us we can't smoke in pubs. The world is going mad.

There's a big element of bullying in all of this. From 1rst July, ALL workplaces MUST display no-smoking signs everywhere or be fined. It's totally OTT.

[just candid]

Smoking is most uncool,much like picking snot from the nostrils in public.

[bdjunker]

Sounds like canDIP has a lot of experience in the "picking snot from his nostrils in public".

ROFLMAO

[Fred]

DavidM wrote:

<quoted text>
This is not what most anti smokers what, They want to ban the smokers right to smoke a LEGAL product that is sold over the counter.
I hope this is settle soon so we can now start on fat people and what they eat. They are becoming the No 1 health cost in America. They file more workman corp claims then any other group of people including smokers.

I'm a non-smoker. Most people I know are non-smokers who are fed up with the excesses and inconsiderateness of SOME smokers.

Smokers who keep bringing up "antis" are attempting to confuse the issue. There are very committed non-smokers who want to ultimately eliminate smoking completely. Their aims are understandable.

However, the average non-smoker just wants to go through the course of his/her day without having to share smokers' bad habits. That's why average, ordinary non-smokers are as just as fed-up as what you call ANTIs. Smokers make it hard for themselves by lashing out at non-smokers and by complaining about REASONABLE bans which enhance public safety.

Smokers: Accept the bans; be reasonable and courteous, and you won't have a problem. The small subset of smokers who want to WHINE about this issue are ruining it for reasonable smokers who are respectful.

[bdjunker]

Fred wrote:

<quoted text>
I'm a non-smoker.

No, you are NOT a NON-smoker. You are an ANTI-smoker. Big difference.

"You accept certain unlovely things about yourself and manage to live with them. The atonement for such an acceptance is that you make allowances for others - that you cleanse yourself of the sin of self-righteousness."

Eric Hoffer

[DryCow]

Fred wrote:

<quoted text>
I'm a non-smoker. Most people I know are non-smokers who are fed up with the excesses and inconsiderateness of SOME smokers.
Smokers who keep bringing up "antis" are attempting to confuse the issue. There are very committed non-smokers who want to ultimately eliminate smoking completely. Their aims are understandable.
However, the average non-smoker just wants to go through the course of his/her day without having to share smokers' bad habits. That's why average, ordinary non-smokers are as just as fed-up as what you call ANTIs. Smokers make it hard for themselves by lashing out at non-smokers and by complaining about REASONABLE bans which enhance public safety.
Smokers: Accept the bans; be reasonable and courteous, and you won't have a problem. The small subset of smokers who want to WHINE about this issue are ruining it for reasonable smokers who are respectful.

That's just it Fred, all bans are NOT reasonable!

I only know of one place that I can buy and hold a beer in one hand and be smoking a cigarette while I socialize in public. This place is seasonal business only open when it is warm enough to do the above.

The time of year this business is closed is the time of year I don't agree with you.

[Bill Hannegan]

DryCow wrote:

<quoted text>
That's just it Fred, all bans are NOT reasonable!
I only know of one place that I can buy and hold a beer in one hand and be smoking a cigarette while I socialize in public. This place is seasonal business only open when it is warm enough to do the above.
The time of year this business is closed is the time of year I don't agree with you.

Banning smoking in a bar where 9 out of 10 patrons currently smoke is not reasonable. It is rude of you to insist that they change their ways to suit your preferences.

[Kernunnos]

Fred, I'm not talking about reasonable bans. I'm talking about OTT hysterical bullying.

FORCING all businesses, even ones that have never allowed smoking to display signs or face heavy fines? This smacks of fascism to me.

As for banning smoking in pubs...

It's not the governments business to stop people smoking in pubs. They've just destroyed the last sanctuary of traditional England. Non smoking pubs have been on the increase for the last few years anyway, so it isn't like we're FORCING you to share our habits.

Football grounds are to be non smoking as well. That's right, outdoor football grounds. What next? The street?

[Fred]

Smoking bans have nothing to do with fascism. People elect respresentatives. Those representatives pass laws which reflect the will of the majority of citizens. That is what a republic is all about.

Throwing around loaded terms is the work of a few smoker-extremists who don't want to face the fact that MOST people want smoking banned in public areas. If this weren't the case, you would see legislators in office who would refuse to propose and pass smoking bans. It's that simple.

[Kernunnos]

Most people do not want smoking banned in pubs. It's just a small but very vocal minority.

[BeetRoot]

I can't think of anything more ridiculous than banning smoking in pubs. Pubs are pubs for crying out loud! Is nothing sacred any more?

[DryCow]

Bill Hannegan wrote:

<quoted text>
Banning smoking in a bar where 9 out of 10 patrons currently smoke is not reasonable. It is rude of you to insist that they change their ways to suit your preferences.

I have no idea what your talking about Bill, where did I insist what?

[Bill Hannegan]

DryCow wrote:

<quoted text>
I have no idea what your talking about Bill, where did I insist what?

Sorry. I was really replying to Fred.

[WeScott]

just candid wrote:

Smoking is most uncool,much like picking snot from the nostrils in public.

Pompous asses are uncool too but that doesn't stop you from posting. So your Point?

[TheWiseIdiot]

Many restaurants and bars and other public places are going out of business because people refuse to go somewhere where they cannot smoke. It didn't stop me from smoking and I've saved a lot of money by not going to a restaurant or a bar. The smoking and non-smoking sections were divided up into two for a reason: To keep those who DONT smoke healthy and safe. Well ya know something? Everyone is going to die anyway, so does it even matter? The truth is: Were all going to die at one point or another, the blessing is, we dont know when. But quite frankly, I dont really care about the smoking ban, especially since I've discovered how much you can save just by smoking at home instead of having to go out and spending money just so you can smoke right afterwards. Let the government do what they want, it'll only lose THEM money, not us. Hell, it SAVES us money and loses the government money. We should be happy about the smoking ban. I smoke myself and I dont even go to my favorite restaurant anymore. But hey, that's just what I think about it.

[TheWiseIdiot]

One more thing: About the smoking in pubs and bars. Now THAT is ridiculous. I told my professor the other day, I said, "If I can't smoke in a bar or a pub, then I'll just take my beer and go outside to smoke and then I'm DRINKING IN PUBLIC. Is that any better than to smoke in a bar?" and he just laughed. So, people will end up drinking in public which is much more worse than to smoke in public.

[TheWiseIdiot]

ONE more thing and I promise, this will be the last: I think it's incredibly unfair for those who have saved up thousands of millions of dollars to open up their own restaurant would have to obey the law when THEY are the ones who put the sweat of their life into ONE public place. Just one. And they have to lose their company and go out of business because of the smoking ban. I know that if I spend money on business school and business classes and then saved up every penny I had to open lets say a coffee shop or a restaurant, and everything was going well, I had customers coming in and out to have something to drink/eat, and then boom. It all falls to the bottom. I opened that restaurant, it was my money that I invested into it, I should be able to say whether or not I want people smoking in my restaurant or not, it shouldn't be the government's decision.