Anti-smoking laws

[M.R.]

Do you support anti-smoking laws in certain European countries, like baning smoking out of pubs, etc?

P.S.: Can someone remove the '(I smoke)' from first poll option, I wanted to make seperate answers for smokers and non-smokers, but I changed my mind.

[Marcus Marulus]

I don't smoke, nor I ever smoked, but I am starting to get a little bit annoyed by this anti-smoking hysteria. As if it were one among many tools to divert attention from more important issues.

[Exeter]

Also read A new wrinkle in smoking enforcement...

[Delbáeth]

If you don't want to be around smokers, then stay the f*ck out of ours pubs

Someone, explain why on Gods almighty green earth, some posh snobby cow from the west end, is going to want to sit in a dingy, Gallagate pub, watching the Celtic game with Eire Og playing over a pint of Guinness?

Exactly! So why stop us smoking! Grr!

It's crazy, it's pointless, it's just mental. I think it should be down to the pub/club/restaunt if they want smokers, and what type of people they want in their establishment.

[Kalevi]

Damn, I misread the question and accidentally voted 'Yes'.

But no, I don't support it the least bit. This is doings of the disgusting nanny-state mentality that aims to protect people from everything - like we were children, incapable of taking care of our own business.

The motive seems to be also to decrease the health expenses of state, which are caused by the policy to treat people with self-inflicted diseases. God damn commies, stop taking my money and lower the taxes - especially cigarette tax - so I can afford it myself in the case I get cancer. *evil-capitalist-smiley*

Btw, I'm really worried how the EU has managed to push several questionable things to many countries at the same time. Opaque internet-censorship is another example.

[Sergius]

What Kalevi said.

Originally Posted by M.R.

P.S.: Can someone remove the '(I smoke)' from first poll option, I wanted to make seperate answers for smokers and non-smokers, but I changed my mind.

Done.

[Weltschmerz]

People who want to smoke should smoke where they don't pollute the lungs of people who don't want to smoke. But since smokers quite often don't have the slightest respect for people who don't smoke, I support the ban. I can go to the bar and the café without getting a headache too, what a bonus! People who want to smoke can still smoke OUTSIDE.

One thing I considered is the argument to the effect that a bar manager should be able to choose whether to allow or to ban smoking. But it doesn't work in practice. In fact we already tried it, and what happens: All bars allow smoking, because that way they don't exclude anyone. And those who don't smoke? Well, what they thought didn't matter. There was not even a supply of bars for the people who wanted to breathe fresh air.

[Carnyx]

I agree with Gnist.

I don't smoke, I never really liked smoking (except when I'm drinking) and I even tend to dislike smokers, but only for (many) valid reasons:

I'm annoyed at cig butts and packs they throw a bit everywhere (very nasty habit they have over here), the smoke when I'm walking just behind some smoker who has his cig more often in his hand than in his mouth, their bad breath, etc.

Alright, on topic... In Pubs I don't really mind as I tend to avoid crowded places (actually I'd agree on the argument saying that if you don't like smoke you won't go in a Pub, logically, but then where to go when one doesn't smoke?), but I consider it okay to ban smoking in trains, planes, and such other public areas. I don't see why I should tolerate the presence of a few smokers in a restaurant eg when there is a majority of non-smokers present in the place (unless you consider smokers a kind of elite or something). To each his place.

I really don't understand this addiction, their need of smoking, though, quite honestly, I couldn't care less if some people smoke and if they get a lungs cancer afterwhile if only they would care of non-smokers a bit. But not even...

Sometimes there's a need of strong laws, for people are not reasonable by nature and only understand such drastic measures, if they understand anything at all. Now you can hate me.

[Susi]

Personally I'm very used to second hand smoke so I don't mind it. It's banned in all buildings in Ontario (my province of residence) and before the smoking had to be in a separate room with vents and before in a separate part of the establishment...

I think smokers are very inconsiderate of nonsmokers. I don't mind them lighting up but if they're destroying my lungs in a very packed establishment when they could clearly do it outside, it's just selfish and rude.

[Amorsite]

Smoking is a detriment to the health of people who smoke and don't. To me, even the smell of someone who has smoked is enough to make me lose concentration and annoy me. Smokers do not have the right to decide on what nonsmokers smell or dont. Smoking should be forbidden.

[Delbáeth]

And non-smokers have no right what so ever to turn around and tell smokers that we shouldn't be allowed to smoke in our pubs.

I agree that smoking shouldn't be aloud in alot of places, especially where chilldren will be. But come on, banning smoking in pubs is just idiotic. Pubs are losing out on this smoking ban. I don't even like pubs anymore, iot's much easier getting a few beers, and sitting in the house.

Though you do begin to miss the pub atmosphere that's beend estroyed .

[Weltschmerz]

I don't think the pub atmosphere has been destroyed. I think it has been improved, and a lot of people think so too, even some smokers agree. I've heard a few arrogant smokers complain that they can't do what they want to do exactly where they want to do it, but I never heard that the pub atmosphere has been destroyed before.

[Delbáeth]

Originally Posted by Gnist

I don't think the pub atmosphere has been destroyed. I think it has been improved, and a lot of people think so too, even some smokers agree. I've heard a few arrogant smokers complain that they can't do what they want to do exactly where they want to do it, but I never heard that the pub atmosphere has been destroyed before.

3 of my local pubs went out of business because no one wanted to go to a pub because you couldn't smoke.. one of them was my regular.

The pub atmosphere was crippled by the smoking ban.

[Weltschmerz]

Originally Posted by Delbáeth

3 of my local pubs went out of business because no one wanted to go to a pub because you couldn't smoke..

People must really fight for their right to smoke then.

Pubs are as usual here. I remember that a few smokers actually did go outside for a smoke long before the ban, even if noone asked them to. Many smokers are grateful that they don't have to dine completely surrounded by smoke anymore, and some smokers also support the ban because they don't approve of forcing the habit on other people.

[Marcus Marulus]

Separation into smoking and non-smoking section works good for restaurants, I think.

[Weltschmerz]

Originally Posted by Marulus

Separation into smoking and non-smoking section works good for restaurants, I think.

That did not work here. Most cafés, restaurants and pubs do not have separate sections to begin with, nor the ventilation needed for separation to work. Smokers also ignored the signs and caused trouble for both personnel and other customers. Once you were seated you often did not even know where the smoking section was, and you don't yell at someone who is smoking a cigarette to put it out if you're not sure that you have the right to do so.