Do you support a ban on smoking in public places?

â™¥Grannyâ™¥

Yes in my view smoking should be banned in all public places. The evidence about the risks of passive smoking is too compelling to ignore.

People have a right to protect themselves from smoke inhalation. Passive smoking is dangerous!

And a ban would encourage more smokers to quit!

musonic

I am informed that it is now illegal to smoke in my truck-cab in Scotalnd.

I take great pleasure in lighting up as I drive north across the border, but unfortunately, I haven't been stopped yet, because I want to go to court and light a cigarette there; thus guaranteeing a hefty fine, which I will then not pay.

They will then haul me back to court and order me to pay, but I shall not.

I shall then sell everything I have so the baliffs don't get the furniture, and then still refuse to pay, whereupon I will be thrown in jail.

It will then cost the government about Â£2,000 a week to keep me there, which will please me no end.

When I get out, I will have a criminal record and I will not be able to get a job, so I shall sign on the dole and live off the state.

You see, "freed'm and democrisation," as Mr Bush keeps telling his side-kick Blair, requires sacrifice, and if the government are willing to sacrifice Â£10,000, plus another Â£10,000 prosecuting me, in addition to the loss of tax revenue on my cigarettes, then I will have done my bit for society.

Don't you just love this stupid government?

CajunBilly

I do not smoke and I don't like to be around smokers especially when I eat but since smoking is legal I don't believe the government should stop someone from doing what is legal. Thank a liberal.

i can understand
some places having
a total ban on smoking
resturants and coaches/bus/trains
for health and fire risks
but to force people into quitting
wether they like it or not
is a bit big brother
pubs for instance
that do not serve food
should have smoke/non-smoke
designated areas
same with betting shops
not just a all out stop/ban

J Q Public

no and we need to thank conservatives especially in ohio. most of the bans have passed because the surgeon generals statements and in ohio conservatives backed the ban.
business owners should be allowed to make their own choice. bars in particular,children have no business there.

nursesr4evr

I think the market should determine it, not the law. I have never smoked, and if a place is too bad, I won't go there. The owner of the establishment will lose people who don't smoke, but can gain people who know they won't be harrassed about their smoking. It will balance out. Too many people demand the government to fix things, but I think freedom should include elimination of unnecessary government and useless laws.

SR13

I think that if people allow it then the government will up the stakes. It's unhealthy to passively smoke but then so is breathing in the pollution from car fumes. Will the government say next that you have to walk or cycle distances under 10 miles? It could save lives.

katy1pm

I live in Scotland and I gave up smoking nine years ago. I don't mind friends smoking in my home at all but what I DO mind, is now trying to enter a restaurant and having to walk through an awful thick fog of cigarette smoke, due to all the smokers standing clustered just outside the door. I take a coughing fit every time. Yet, when people had set smoking areas in restaurants, I never did. To me its worse for the non smokers now, walking into places through walls of thick smoke, and along the street past it. Seems to me that the street is more public than a restaurant lol. The problem is that they are all clustered right outside the doors of these establishments.

For as long as cigarettes are legal and our governments continue to make a massive fortune from the tax on them (MUCH more than smoking related illnesses cost the NHS), smokers must be allowed to have some rights. There should at least be smoking shelters (like those little bus shelter things) on each city street corner. It's blatantly unfair to treat smokers as lepers, when smoking IS legal after all. :)

busybody

yes...although I am a smoker.

reasons
1. becoz I smoke, doesn't mean other must too
2. give excuses to run out from boring conversation. Smoke break

xialou1

nope, i say it is the owners freedom to have or not and the people to patron or not......... what is up with freedoms.......

maybe a govt building,,,,,, but not private..... esp. a restaurant or bar

SAMANTHA H

Smoking should be banned full stop.
It stinks/ it looks gross/ makes every where smell even in corridors .

John A

I stopped smoking 10 years ago, but I don't agree with the draconian anti-smoking moves we have at the moment. If smoking is bad and the laws are there on ethical grounds to protect the smoker from himself, it should be banned full stop. It is just a half hearted attempt to seem whiter than white, but at the same time still putting the coppers into the exchequer. It is just gross hypocrisy. I think there should be pubs for smokers, complete with smoking customers and smoking staff and then we can all make a decision to go in or not, just as barmaids/men can make the decision as to whether they wish to work there or not.

ambi

Already here we do not allow smoking in public places. Smokers have the entire outdoors to smoke.

Common Sense

Nope..

Richardson '08

Indoor Private Establishments? I think it should be up to the owner or operator.

Outdoors? No... you can't smoke at Disneyland anymore. Well you can, but you have to duck behind a dumpster. That's the "Smoking Zone". It's ridiculous.

Libraries and other government buildings? Yeah, I'm fine with that.

*UPDATE*

facelessfactor... prohibition doesn't work.

Cigarettes are incredibly addictive, you are correct. And, they're bad for you, obviously.

The problem with banning cigarettes is, people want their cigarettes. If cigarettes were outlawed, while many people would quit...

Many people wouldn't. A huge black market would emerge overnight. Black markets lead to violence.

At the same time, if cigarette smoking were illegal, people would be caught. Would they go to prison? Do you really want to lock up everyone who wants a cigarette?

That's just what our criminal justice system needs, more nonviolent offenders. Who's going to pay the 20,000 dollars a year it costs to keep them locked up? I'm not.

So, my question for you... is it really worth it?

Faceless

I think ALL smoking should be banned and in fact cigarettes should be made illegal. They are addictive cancer sticks! Stop production and sale of them. They are known to harm others thru dangerous second hand smoke. Bad for the environment as well.

Only good for companies that sell them. Enough is enough!

If trans fats can be banned, I say ban cigarettes next. Make it a crimminal offense, the same as illegal drug use to be caught smoking them.

Wise up people, it's as bad and even worse than crack!

Emma

Yes, because there are many people with asthma, upper respiratory infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, etc, etc. etc., not to mention young children whose lungs are still developing. Those who wish to smoke can do so in private.

Smoking causes upper respiratory diseases which increase health care costs, which in turn increase your insurance premium if you are lucky enough to afford health insurance.

alan j UK

I havent smoked in 25years but have just been diagnosed with a smoking related complaint, so I am in favour of a ban for the next generation and clean air

william l

no i dont i think its ridiculous dont think its hit england yet but it has caused alot of people to stay in the house at the weekend if we can smoke in the house and our car why not smoke anywhere esle what the smokers do with there live has nothing to do with the none smokers dont you think

sunshynesuga

Even though I hate the smell of cigarette smoke, as a former smoker I must say I do not support bans on smoking in public places. I think the decision should be left to each individual business. If a business allows smoking in their establishment and I don't like it, I can leave. Once again big brother is telling us what we can and can't do.

A True Gentleman

jobees

Yes here in Queensland we have a ban on smoking in public place and the air is so much cleaner.
Only it not as policed as I would like it to be.

majickgypsy

yes, with limitations. if people are trying to eat for example, then definately. if it's an enclosed space, yes again. even outdoors in some cases, like on Bondi Beach in Sydney there was such a problem with ciggarette butts in the sand the council banned smoking on the beach and i think thats fair enough. but to say no smoking anywhere in public ever is a bit harsh, you might as well just make ciggarettes illegal and be done with it. as long as there is adequate disposal facilities provided people should be allowed to smoke outdoors but it's really not cool to inflict your stinking poisonous vapours on others when indoors.

Beachman

Absolutely I support it. If it is bothersome to others, which it can be, it should not be allowed in public places.

Stephanie D

It is funny, I quit smoking at the beginning of year and up until then I thought it was bogus that I couldn't smoke inside because other people didn't like it. Now that I am on the other end I think that there should be a smoking ban on public places. Now that I have been smoke free the smell of smoke is disguisting, and I don't think that I should have to be around someone else's habit.

saturnarc

I don't even know why we allow people to do it outside where it just creates smog and makes it annoying to go into and out of buildings. I shouldn't have to hold my breathe every time I want to use a door!

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: