Smoking in England banned from July 1st...

[PADDY]

Smoking in public bars, restaurants, offices..etc hits a blanket ban from
July 1st in England (UK).

Many places already have their own anti smoking policy, but this becomes law in England in a few weeks.

Not sure if you have this type of law in the US, or other countries across the world?[huh] (please tell!).

But the most controversial thing about it seems to be folk who like to go out to the traditional OLDE ENGLISH PUB (The George & Dragon; or Red Lion..or whatever!!) and enjoy having a fag/tab/cig with their pint!!! won't be allowed to do it now!!

What do you think of this 'age old' custom coming to an end? It's a long way from the old Players and Chesterfield ads of the 30's and 40's where a beautiful or handsome Golden Era movie star had a cigarette in their hand.

 

[DOUGLAS]

Wow that is a drag. As one who smokes here in NYC the ban here has curbed my going out to my local pubs. There were some places that really had charm and ambiance and many different varieties of old and young. Now most bars are filled with twenty something wanabes. I really don't have a problem with some estabishments being totally non smoking but it would have been better for the owners themselves to decide.

 

[Feraud]

Smokers in the U.S. have faced this for a long time. I am in my late 30s but remember smoking in restaurants.

It is unfortunate society either goes all one way or the others. Restaurants and bars are either for smokers (in the past) or against it (presently). I would like to see a balance, a place where smokers can go for a meal, drinks, and enjoy their smokes, while nonsmokers can have their clean air environment.

 

[Sweet Polly Purebred]

I'm a smoker ..

Smokers in Ireland have spent the last 2 years getting used to this. At first people were completely against it and it was THE topic of conversation between smokers hanging around the front and back doors. This summer I've noticed that people don't have a thing to say about it any more, in fact a lot of smokers are happy to oblige and I've heard comments that being forced outside has created an entirely new way to meet people. I find that I've met more people outside having a fag than I sometimes do on the inside of a noisey, crowded pub.

No one likes change and people will moan about it until something new to moan about comes along. Even as a smoker I prefer the no smoking law. There's nothing that ruins your appetite faster than the sour rancid smell of old smoke.

 

[Feraud]

There's nothing that ruins your appetite faster than the sour rancid smell of old smoke.

Wasn't that the secret to staying thin?

 

[Alan Eardley]

Smokers in Ireland have spent the last 2 years getting used to this. At first people were completely against it and it was THE topic of conversation between smokers hanging around the front and back doors. This summer I've noticed that people don't have a thing to say about it any more, in fact a lot of smokers are happy to oblige and I've heard comments that being forced outside has created an entirely new way to meet people.

I agree. It has created a sort of 'cafe society' that fits in well with the Irish character. Some places in Dublin look like Paris or Barcelona now!

Alan

 

[scotrace]

We'll all have to trundle off to France, I expect.

I dislike issues without balance. There seems to be no one occupying the middle ground.

 

[dhermann1]

I agree with Feraud. I think the only legitimate reason for banning smoking is because of secondhand smoke. The "Nanny State" has no business (more or less) preventing you from injuring yourself. You do not have the right to harm others, however. I do believe second hand smoke is seriously harmful, but I really think there should be permitted certain areas reserved for smokers, and maybe a special class of "smoking club", like dining clubs. where it would be permitted. I just hope that the enforcement in Britain won't go the way of the "clamping" insanity. They've contracted out the clamping of illegally parked cars to a private vendor, and these people are utter monsters and thugs.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Maine has had a policy like this for several years now -- there was a lot of grousing about it at first, but everyone seems to have adjusted. One of the significant issues that came up during the discussion in the legislature was that most of the restaurants and bars here are quite small -- and that being the case, there's really no practical way to create an isolated smokers' space that doesn't either concentrate the smoke so thick that patrons wouldn't be able to see across the table or allow the smoke to drift into the non-smokers' section. If you're running a twenty-seat lunchroom, you simply don't have the space to do well by either smokers or nonsmokers under those conditions.

 

[Feraud]

fftopic:
Is this what they are doing in the city now? I can only imagine the quality of worker they have doing this job. The vehicle damage must be astounding.

They've contracted out the clamping of illegally parked cars to a private vendor, and these people are utter monsters and thugs.

 

[Spitfire]

Even if I now and again enjoy a cigar, I enjoy even more having my meals in smokefree restaurants and drinks in smokefree bars.
Until I really, really needs a cigar... that is.

 

[KittyT]

Boston went smoke-free several years ago, followed by the entire state. I am a smoker and most of the time, I appreciate the ban. I hated coming home from clubs and bars and having my clothes just reek of smoke, and I hated coming home with my eyes burning and a migraine headache from everyone else's smoke in addition to my own. The smoking ban here has created a kind of sidewalk culture that isn't entirely disagreeable.

 

[pretty faythe]

We just voted for this last November. No smoking in places where food is prepared or served. So that includes bars, schools (which were already smoke free), restraunts, and it seems the LVCC. I guess it doesn't apply to the casinos and mega resorts, after spending the weekend in a smoke filled casino, I wasn't sure about that part anyway.

Anyhooo, after the voting passed for those areas to be non smoking, everyone here was in an uproar, some of the bars decided to forgo the smoking ban, things went through the court systems here, and they decided, the people voted, we are sticking with what was chosen.

I've always sat in the non smoking section anyway, unless a restruant was terriably busy, then I chose first available. But the only time smoking bothered me was when it was a foul smelling cigar.

 

[goldwyn girl]

Faythe, you're right, no smoking in resturants and the like but it's still permitted on the casino floor. My hubby used to be a smoker and we also asked for the no smoking section of resturants, lighting up near food just isn't right.

 

[Tomasso]

We'll all have to trundle off to France, I expect.

Well then, we'd better hurry.

 

[Alan Eardley]

Well then, we'd better hurry.

You beat me to it!

Alan

 

[tonyb]

In this state, smoking was banned in essentially all public spaces (even in what had been cigar bars) about a year and a half ago. I quit smoking, after 35-plus years of enslavement to the devil's weed, in September of last year. (One thing had nothing to do with the other, by the way. I mention my quitting only to offer a bit of perpsective on "where I'm coming from," as they say these days.)
I suppose that the ban makes it somewhat easier to avoid the temptation to smoke. And even when I smoked I accepted that non-smokers' right to breathe smoke-free air trumped the smokers' right to light up. Still, I think that the law in this state goes too far. Hell, smoking is banned outdoors within 25 feet of building entries, windows and vents, which makes essentially all of the sidewalks, alleys, etc. in even moderately built-up areas legally off limits to smoking. So much for that outdoors "cafe culture." (The 25-foot rule goes largely ignored and unenforced, though. And laws that go ignored and unenforced tend to foster disrespect for the very idea of law, and for that reason, it could be reasonably argued, they harm us all.)
What's most galling about the ban is the habit among its proponents to argue that it has little or no adverse effect on bar business. They cite overall tax revenues from drinking establishments (either steady or slightly up, they say, since the ban went into effect) to support that claim. While it's true that some bars actually have seen an uptick in business post-ban, many other have seen their trade fall of considerably. Tax revenues are slightly up because there are always more people to buy that taxable hooch, and the prices of that hooch (on which the taxes are based) continually go up. The bars that have been hurt the most are the little neighborhood dives, the places frequented by your more avid, experienced and budget-minded drinkers. You know, the sort of folks who are also more likely to smoke. So while the ban does not inconvenience me directly, I still believe that it overreaches and carries more than a whiff of elitism.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

400 and something years of tobacco use is enough?

They recently banned smoking everywhere here too, including bars. As elsewhere, everyone was up in arms and worried that the small corner bars would go out of business, but so far everyone has adjusted.
I used to smoke too, but quit 10 years ago. Other people in bars smoking didn't really bother me that much. I think they should be allowed at least that.
Looks like governments worldwide are trying to make tobacco use a thing of the past.

 

[Sweet Polly Purebred]

Looks like governments worldwide are trying to make tobacco use a thing of the past.

Slightly off topic, but I really do believe that getting people to quit smoking is definitely part of the reasoning behind this, at least in Europe. Cigarettes here are sold in 10 packs and 20 packs, a 20 pack is 7.50 Euro which is about $11 a pack. I suppose that, statistically, treating smoking related illnesses are one of the greatest expenses within the health care community. Any country that offers free or affordable Govt. sponsored health care would benefit by eliminating this habit.

 

[Sweet Polly Purebred]

I agree. It has created a sort of 'cafe society' that fits in well with the Irish character. Some places in Dublin look like Paris or Barcelona now!

Alan

Now if we could just get the weather to play along!