New smoking ban?

[Decky]

SMOKING outside pubs and offices could be banned under plans to be announced by the European Union tomorrow.

 

Brussels bureaucrats want to outlaw it in areas like beer gardens and covered patios – and even extend it to concerts such as last weekend’s Glastonbury Festival.

 

The European Commission says the current ban in enclosed public places doesn’t go far enough and non-smokers are still in danger. But Forest, the pro-smoking organisation, says the scheme is “dubious, difficult to enforce and a potential death knell for businesses”. Director Simon Clark said: “If the EU wants smokers off the streets it would be more productive to use resources for smoking rooms.”

 

Even if the British Government, which banned smoking in enclosed public places two years ago, objects to the EU plan, it could still be outvoted.

 

http://express.co.uk/posts/view/110658/ban-on-outdoor-smoking

 

Not a smoker myself, but possibly a bit harsh?

[Stifler]

I agree with outside doorways and such, but if you go into a smoking area what are you going to expect? Flowers?

 

Maybe it would be easier to stop selling them instead or put the age up again to 21.

[Incognito]

ABSOLUTELY PATHETIC.

[Ronaldo]

The smoking ban is absolute nonsense

[BlueStar]

The smoking ban is absolute nonsense

 

I said ages ago they'd ban it in pubs and people told me it'd never happen.  It's more because of the staff, you have to provide a safe working environment for employees and having them work in a cloud of carcinogenic chemicals doesn't do that unfortunately.

[indi]

This is from the Express, so my guess is it's total bullshit, another anti-EU myth that they're trying to get up and running. There's no smoking ban in a lot of Europe (probably the majority), so I doubt this is something they'd try and enforce Europe-wide. The Express probably heard a couple of MEPs talking in the pub or something and decided to spin it, notice that they don't mention anything about the name of the proposed legislation, etc. It was probably a slow news Diana day.

 

I'm a smoker and the smoking ban is just about the best thing to happen to pubs in this country since the invention of beer.

[GM]

Smokers deserve all they get, and more...

 

It's disgusting having to walk through carcenogenic clouds of smoke as you enter pubs or other buildings. Should be designated smoking shacks for these idiots to go to instead.

[SEMTEX]

Meh

 

Bit much tbh. Although there are some outdoor areas that really shouldn't be smoking areas. See Job Bulman in Gosforth.

[Jill]

It's disgusting having to walk through carcenogenic clouds of smoke as you enter pubs or other buildings. Should be designated smoking shacks for these idiots to go to instead.

 

This. Personally I don't mind if people want to smoke, but it is unpleasant having to walk through it on the way into somewhere.

[Bowie]

SMOKING outside pubs and offices could be banned under plans to be announced by the European Union tomorrow.

 

Brussels bureaucrats want to outlaw it in areas like beer gardens and covered patios – and even extend it to concerts such as last weekend’s Glastonbury Festival.

 

The European Commission says the current ban in enclosed public places doesn’t go far enough and non-smokers are still in danger. But Forest, the pro-smoking organisation, says the scheme is “dubious, difficult to enforce and a potential death knell for businesses”. Director Simon Clark said: “If the EU wants smokers off the streets it would be more productive to use resources for smoking rooms.”

 

Even if the British Government, which banned smoking in enclosed public places two years ago, objects to the EU plan, it could still be outvoted.

 

http://express.co.uk/posts/view/110658/ban-on-outdoor-smoking

 

Not a smoker myself, but possibly a bit harsh?

 

Christ almighty, since when were smokers in the same bracket as paedophiles and criminals? People need to get a grip.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

It's disgusting having to walk through carcenogenic clouds of smoke as you enter pubs or other buildings. Should be designated smoking shacks for these idiots to go to instead.

 

This. Personally I don't mind if people want to smoke, but it is unpleasant having to walk through it on the way into somewhere.

 

Truth, I love the smoking ban.

 

I wonder when it's going to die out, seems already to be a really inconvenient, anti-social and expensive thing to do.

[Guest toonlass]

It's disgusting having to walk through carcenogenic clouds of smoke as you enter pubs or other buildings. Should be designated smoking shacks for these idiots to go to instead.

 

This. Personally I don't mind if people want to smoke, but it is unpleasant having to walk through it on the way into somewhere.

 

Truth, I love the smoking ban.

 

I wonder when it's going to die out, seems already to be a really inconvenient, anti-social and expensive thing to do.

 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Are kids still doing it in the numbers they were?

 

When I was at school I was one of the few of my mates who didn't do it, but that was 10 years ago now... wonder what the stats are (can't be bothered to look it up now!)

[Pilko]

There was loads of kids lighting up outside my place on a daily basis, even when I was in the sixth form recently, the new kids coming into year nine were smoking within a few weeks. I'd probably go as far to say that about 20% of the kids in the school (so one in every five) is a smoker or had gone on and off for a few years.

 

I was also one of the few who never even tried it, and I intend to keep it that way.

[Guest toonlass]

Are kids still doing it in the numbers they were?

 

When I was at school I was one of the few of my mates who didn't do it, but that was 10 years ago now... wonder what the stats are (can't be bothered to look it up now!)

 

Lots of the ones with their tracksuit bottoms tucked into their socks, who sit in the local playpark necking White Lightening seem to be.

[BlueStar]

SMOKING outside pubs and offices could be banned under plans to be announced by the European Union tomorrow.

 

Brussels bureaucrats want to outlaw it in areas like beer gardens and covered patios and even extend it to concerts such as last weekends Glastonbury Festival.

 

The European Commission says the current ban in enclosed public places doesnt go far enough and non-smokers are still in danger. But Forest, the pro-smoking organisation, says the scheme is dubious, difficult to enforce and a potential death knell for businesses. Director Simon Clark said: If the EU wants smokers off the streets it would be more productive to use resources for smoking rooms.

 

Even if the British Government, which banned smoking in enclosed public places two years ago, objects to the EU plan, it could still be outvoted.

 

http://express.co.uk/posts/view/110658/ban-on-outdoor-smoking

 

Not a smoker myself, but possibly a bit harsh?

 

Christ almighty, since when were smokers in the same bracket as paedophiles and criminals? People need to get a grip.

 

It's the leader of a pro-smoking group saying the EU want smokers "off the streets", no-one involved in implimenting the current or a theoretical further ban has said that.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

That's the problem with the smoking ban then, isn't it... we need other measures to address very young smokers who aren't affected by not being able to do it in pubs.

 

I don't know what would work, other than increasing the age you can smoke at and enforcing it. Not sure that's realistic or possible though.

[Mowen]

The smoking ban as it stands is quality. These 'proposed' rules (which I'm sure haven't even been proposed) would be absolute nonsense.

[Tooj]

Smokers deserve all they get, and more...

 

It's disgusting having to walk through carcenogenic clouds of smoke as you enter pubs or other buildings. Should be designated smoking shacks for these idiots to go to instead.

 

You're still gagging for it man.

[Mowen]

There was loads of kids lighting up outside my place on a daily basis, even when I was in the sixth form recently, the new kids coming into year nine were smoking within a few weeks. I'd probably go as far to say that about 20% of the kids in the school (so one in every five) is a smoker or had gone on and off for a few years.

 

I was also one of the few who never even tried it, and I intend to keep it that way.

 

Thanks for explaining that.

[Pilko]

There was loads of kids lighting up outside my place on a daily basis, even when I was in the sixth form recently, the new kids coming into year nine were smoking within a few weeks. I'd probably go as far to say that about 20% of the kids in the school (so one in every five) is a smoker or had gone on and off for a few years.

 

I was also one of the few who never even tried it, and I intend to keep it that way.

 

Thanks for explaining that.

 

Helps give it a more personal perspective. A lot of people find it easier to visualise per person than a mindless number-crunched stat.

 

Not you though, you maths whore.

[Guest The Libertine]

millions of deaths every year and its still legal 

[Pilko]

millions of deaths every year and its still legal 

 

As much as I support your side in this argument, it'll be minutes before a smoker rolls in and says the same about alcohol, cars, fairground rides and eating fatty foods.

[ChezGiven]

I was in chicago last year and we went to see BB King at the House of Blues.

 

You couldnt smoke outside the door and had to walk round the corner where there were yellow lines painted in front of the wall which you had to stand behind about 20 metres from the entrance. It was right next to a motorway flyover with millions of cars passing by in a humid, polluted city. Madness.

 

 

[Nobody]

millions of deaths every year and its still legal 

 

As much as I support your side in this argument, it'll be minutes before a smoker rolls in and says the same about alcohol, cars, fairground rides and eating fatty foods.

Which is a fair argument. I've never smoked and I absolutely hate it, but if people want to smoke then let them. Just not in bars or any other indoor environment.