The kind people at CCV create a whole new place for us to post our messages and rants and things; And i'm the first one here! Either that or they've called last orders?

Since this new forum is called The Pub. I thought it might be interesting to start off with a contentious question - Is it right to ban smirking (sorry - see other threads on accents and Geordies) smoking in pubs?

We all have an opinion based on our views on Health & Safety and Freedom of Choice etc

But will it sound the death knell of the good old British pub or revitalise the industry as a family orientated environment?

In my opinion, as a semi reformed smoker, legislation is likely to be heavy handed. I think there should be a return to The Snug or Smoking Room of old. This type of approach would then support community based pubs, but not probably not appeal to the City Centre super pubs.

Hi Stuart,

Count me all for the new legislation. I'm normally fairly even-handed in my feelings on most topics - not liberal as such, nor apathetic, just open-minded. Saying that, I go with the 'stamp it out' approach. As a 'never have, never will' person, I think the more we can do to make smoking a thing of the past the better. Allowing smoking areas in public places such as pubs simply means that enforcing any legislation is going to be difficult...

Frankly, smoking is disgusting and there's simply no justification for it on any grounds - after all, it's proven to be dangerous, it's offensive, unpleasant and is nothing more than an addiction. My only concession to smokers is strategic: I want the legislation to work, so would be willing to concede provisions for strictly controlled smoking dens on the proviso that they were small, had no ventilation, no windows and were deeply unpleasant for anyone to visit (smoker or otherwise) so that nobody could argue on a point of 'freedom of choice' as the choice would be there. Hopefully smokers would then experience the deep unpleasantness themselves and then choose to stop.

End result: less smokers. Meanwhile, let's put provisions in the tobacco companies' trade licenses mandating that the sale of tobacco related products is only allowable if said companies agree to being billed by the NHS for all smoking-related treatment costs. Ensure that tobacco related products can only be purchased by using an smoker identity card, the issue of which marks an individual down as higher risk - which will impact on insurance. Also make smoking in vehicles (whether driving or not) a driving offense. If you can get done for eating an apple whilst driving, I'd say there's no defence for smoking.

Radical views, perhaps, but this is The Pub and colour me a pub philosopher!

John

John
Fair point about smoking when driving being equivellant to eating an apple, but... how much more road rage would there be if millions of nicotine starved ANGRY drivers suddenly hit our roads? And as an ex-smoker, I have no doubt that if they were under a ban, many of them would be VERY angry!

Also, the figures on taxes on tobacco products would help to baslance the NHS impact, if it were more directly spent on the NHS rather than funding oil wars.

What I don't understand is why pubs et al cannot be left to make their own policy? Neither smokers nor non-smokers have a god given right to go out for beer or pizza! You make a choice, and if you take away the choice of the smoker it is no better than denying the options of a non-smoker. I can see the argument for banning smoking in true public areas - e.g. the street - but if you don't like a smoking pub, go to a non-smoking venue. Its a bit like blaming McDonnalds for being fat - there are other options! Surely CHOICE is the answer.

Frankly, I am far less worried about the risk of secondary smoke cancer, than I am about the risk of getting glassed by some drunken twat - a very real danger inside & outside the typical chain pubs in town centres.

What I'm always amazed by is the seeming ease that once a decision had been made the governement was able to ban fox hunting within months, yet a smoking ban is still several years away even though being agreed in prinicpal. Since the class wars have finished perhaps Labour needs to divide the nation some other way and country versus city is an easy option.

At uni I smoked occassionally and wasn't to bothered about those smoking around me, however now I really hate coming home from the pub and stinking of smoke! I think everyone has the right to do what they like, as long as it does not adversly affect those around them. I wouldn't be bothered if you drank 15 pints jumped in your car and drove home IF the only person you endangered was yourself, but sadly this isn't the case, the same is true of smokers.

I'm sure this is a topic that will continue for ages, and with a general election looming i can't believe we'll see a total ban anytime this year - and who knows what would happen if by some miracle the Blair Brigade weren't in power after the votes were counted.