[Razmataz]

Actually. Alcohol to me is a once in a blue moon thing.
Twice a year if im lucky.
Probably a lot more this year.
But i dunno. Alcohol has that drink driving effect.
But i would'nt mind the band on alcohol unlike many people my age.
Alcohol is reason for many of my mates being pricks. So yeah.

Im not with the whole drink every weekend club.

[krissybabe06]

i think personally.... no matter what they do every1 will continue still doing it! do you rly think for 1 minute ppl are guna stop smoking in areas just like that! no way!!!!

[x-heather-x]

Its actually been very suprising how good its going. No one is smoking in pubs anymore. But the bad thing is that your findin loads of fag ends outside in the street.

[BB-Rocks]

Last night i seen people standing outside the pubs in the rain .. they must be despirate for a fag

[krissybabe06]

yeah... that must be bad because smoking is apparently so addictable people will do anything for 1 if theyre desperate aswel

[Siouxsie]

Hate it it stinks and it looks so ugly

[krissybabe06]

hmmmmmm some ppl tend 2 have smoked LMAO hehe it is bad 4 u tho!

[Sunny_01]

I am one of those filthy smokers sorry!

I have to say though I agree with the ban! from having my children I have gone outside to smoke and if it is to cold then I dont bother. I hate smoke filled pubs and there is nothing worse than someone smoking near to you when you are eating.

I dont cost the NHS any money Gladders I pay for private health care for me and my family, so that argument doesnt really wash with me. What about the drug addicts, what about the drinkers, what about the obese people they are all a burden on the NHS but does that make them any less entitled to good quality health care - I dont think so!

We all have choices that affect our health and we are all entitled to those choices as long as we do not affect other people in the process!

[krissybabe06]

hey Sunny are you from the north east? hey i'm from Newcastle how are you?

I think you are right with the smoking. Everybody is entitled to do what they want and have their own decisions. But i would be lying if i said i had never tried it! I still now and again, im not one of these chain smokers i smoke socially i would say, i cut down about 3 or 4 weeks ago

[Sunny_01]

Hi Krissy - yes I am from the NE actually costa del Consett to be precise!

I think I am a bit of a strange smoker, I dont like the smell of smoke in houses, cars etc...

I still think it is about choice and that includes peoples choice not to be covered in my second hand smoke - I am more than happy to stand outside so as not to polute other peoples lungs!

[krissybabe06]

aww bless you sunny! ooo Anthony's from there

Yeah, i think it depends really, although i only smoke when i feel like it, i havent had a cigarette for about 2 weeks or so. Well i cut down about 4 weeks ago, Sometimes i rarely ever smoke In houses and places like that it's optional but i would never ever smoke in my own home because my parents always made me go in the back garden for them, even though they smoked really heavily, but i have my baby niece and 2 nephews coming round and it's for their health also isnt it? If others want to smoke around me then i dont mind that at all! But i would simply respect the fact if people didnt like me smoking around them to move though!

[x-heather-x]

My uncle smokes but hates smokin in the house restaurants etc etc. The only place he really smokes is in pubs so he isnt very happy with the ban.

[krissybabe06]

Yeah, none of my family smoke at all now i dont think, my sister does now and again but she has a baby now so she doesnt do it any more. Yeah i think the ban in pubs is going to have a really big effect on people somehow and i really dont think people will agree with it.

[CharlotteSometimes]

Originally posted by Stropz

I think it's an infringement of our civil liberties. Many small businesses will close because of this. I object to the ban. I think it's unreasonable. I object to the government dictating to us about smoking and most of all, I object to Scotland being used to test it out a year before England.

Agreed, Stropz. I don't think that passive smoking should be forced on anyone. But as has been suggested elsewhere in this thread, pubs, bars, restaurants, etc. should be given the choice whether to be smoking or non-smoking, or allowed to have a designated area indoors where smoking is permitted, at the very least. I think it's pretty bizarre that most of the controversy surrounds smoking in pubs and bars, anyway. Anyone would think that alcohol consumption was good for you or something. I think it's far more of a problem than tobacco ever has or ever will be. Nobody has ever caused an RTA from driving under the influence of nicotine. The Police, courts and casualty departments don't cost the taxpayer billions each year as a result of smoking-related accidents and acts of violence, either. I'm sure a survey of the UK prison population would reveal a significant number of inmates for whom alcohol played a major part in the crimes they've committed, too.

As for passive smoking, there's no doubt that smoking in the company of others has an effect on their health too, although to what degree is still somewhat open to question. But when that's compared to the damage that alcohol abuse has done to the lives of others, there's really no comparison.

Originally posted by Gladders_16

To bring enforcement to the arguement.
How much does smoking cost the much in debt NHS each year.
were talking millions and millions if not just scraping near the billion mark.
People with smoke related diseases is on the rise.
And we all know it leads to an earlier death.
We've all seen the graphic pictures yet some still smoke.

A complete ban would cut disease. And would cut the NHS bill. also cutting tax. in the future. Although the government gets a lot of money from tabacco sales. It pays double back to the NHS leaving it crippled in the end.

Smoking isnt just a health scare its a national scare of whether our very restricted hospitals as it is can cope with it.

Your post cancels out your point. The fact is that without the tax revenue from tobacco, there wouldn't be enough in the kitty to fund the NHS. Raising taxation on alcohol significantly would save the NHS far more money, as well as cutting crime and taking a considerable amount of pressure off the Police, courts and prisons. It would also make the streets a hell of a lot safer, too.

It's a ludicrous situation when supermarkets are selling discounted alcohol and even having '3 for 2' offers, whilst corner shops and off-licenses either willingly sell alcohol to kids, or to adults whom they're fully aware are buying it on their behalf. Each budget sees another rise in the taxation on tobacco, whilst a penny or two is added to alcohol, if it's not ignored completely. The fact is that smoking isn’t fashionable and people consider it to be a ‘dirty’ habit, so the government gets kudos for addressing it. Alcohol is far more damaging, but the public perception is altogether different, so no government is going to risk doing anything about it. Proposing health warning labels on alcohol doesn’t really cut it when it’s advertised freely pretty much everywhere.

[Z]

About passive smoking, there's nothing to stop the person who doesn't want smoke in their face from moving. Especially in places like pubs. If there's a majority of non-smokers, then fair enough, put the cigarette away, but to ban smoking altogether is ludicrous. Like Stropz, I hate the fact that Scotland is being used as a guinea pig.

[sol]

I have mixed views on the ban, I hate people smoking while im eating in a pub / restaurant so in that respect i like the ban, but the fact that peoples rights are beign prohibited isnt nice, it feels like the 'nanny state' again - I dont know, its good and bad

[Legend]

I smoke when i'm around my mates as they all smoke etc. I don't smoke in restaurants and that because for one; your food taste's vile if you smoke before or after and 2; it's not as though i'm in the restaurant for hours so i can wait untill i get outside to have one.

And a complete ban on smoking, who said that? Well whoever it was, please hush. I've probably already said something about that comment lol. But whoever said it is obviously a non smoker so your just looking at it from a non smokers perspective. Some people are addicted (personally, i'm not atall).

When i didn't smoke, i didn't like my dad smoking in the house etc and i would never smoke in my house with my family etc. Butt, even when i didn't smoke then the idea of smoking being banned permanantly i was still soo against it as it's again it's not fair on the smokers.

Why not ban alcohol whilst your at it?

So, from a smokers and non smokers perspective; smoking being banned completely is a load of bollock$.

Also, Stropz & Zi, why shouldn't Scotland be used to try it out? Do people in Scotland smoke? Why should it be England or any other country?

[CharlotteSometimes]

Originally posted by Legend

why shouldn't Scotland be used to try it out? Do people in Scotland smoke? Why should it be England or any other country?

Because Scotland always gets used as a 'testing ground' for new legislation, such as the poll tax, for example. And it's not too long ago that Thatcher ignored Scotland's heroin problem either, because when you've got a high proportion of the able-bodied population smashed out of their skulls on smack and jellies, they're hardly likely to be rebellious.

[lily.]

Originally posted by CharlotteSometimes

Because Scotland always gets used as a 'testing ground' for new legislation, such as the poll tax, for example. And it's not too long ago that Thatcher ignored Scotland's heroin problem either, because when you've got a high proportion of the able-bodied population smashed out of their skulls on smack and jellies, they're hardly likely to be rebellious.

Charlotte .. you answered that post for me girl. I was about to respond to Legend when I read your response. That's precisely why most Scots feel like the country is used as a 'testing ground'.

To Legend: I'm not saying Scotland is any better than England, Wales, N.I. I am merely suggesting that equality should be shown and when there is a blanket ban imposed under UK law, then it should be imposed on the whole of the UK and not just in one part of it. I would object just the same if it were 'tested' in England, Wales or N.I. Segregation is not the way forward.

[Legend]

Charlotte, i didn't know any of that so i spose that's true and Stropz, i did think you meant it that Scotland were better in a way then i read your response etc etc. Then i realised you said you didn't smoke yourself and i thought you did so firstly i thought you were annoyed personally so in other words; JUST INGORE THAT POST.

Also, sorry about the lack of full stops, i've just nearly han a astmah attack trying to read it all.

P.S: How do you spell 'astmah' it's annoying me because i can never spell it and i have had it for 10 years.

[lily.]

asthma

[BB-Rocks]

Originally posted by Stropz

Charlotte .. you answered that post for me girl. I was about to respond to Legend when I read your response. That's precisely why most Scots feel like the country is used as a 'testing ground'.

To Legend: I'm not saying Scotland is any better than England, Wales, N.I. I am merely suggesting that equality should be shown and when there is a blanket ban imposed under UK law, then it should be imposed on the whole of the UK and not just in one part of it. I would object just the same if it were 'tested' in England, Wales or N.I. Segregation is not the way forward.

I know exactly what you are both saying.

[Legend]

Originally posted by Stropz
asthma

Cheers ears.

I'm sure i've always spelt it correctly on here and everywhere else untill then when i decided to have a blonde moment.

[Siouxsie]

Has anyone got a chimney on top of their heads(sorry but if you were meant to smoke you would have)

[Ruth]

I don't agree with the ban. It should be up to the landlord's discretion as to whether smoking is banned in their establishment or not. And I don't smoke!