To think smoking should now be banned in public spaces?

[MrsKingfisher]

I saw on the news footage of people Christmas shopping in London and people sitting outside in cafes etc. Given the current situation should public smoking be banned? Not only because it stinks and it's anti social but more people are now meeting outside due to covid. I don't believe there is any evidence that breathing out smoke spreads the virus anymore than normal breathing. It's just selfish, non smokers no longer can be told 'if you don't like it go inside'

I hate the smell of vapes, ban them too. Although I keep thinking about changing to vapes. You get more smoke from them, than you do fags.

[quote TeeniefaeTroon]@PortraitOfAWoman
You're the snowflake love, I'm not moaning about doing something that I've been doing for years. This is where we've had to go to have a cigarette for a long time and now that you poor non-smokers have to also come out with us, it's now a problem. It wasn't a problem when you were all inside though. Suck it up buttercup [/quote]
Nope you are missing the point, LOVE.

It's that you choose to smoke, a habit that kills, and I don't want to be subjected to your smoke, thanks.

I have a right to clean air outside.

You have a right to kill yourself with smoking if you want to, but don't inflict that on me.

And if you don't want to go outside in the rain and cold, smoke in your home or stop smoking. Ever thought of that option?

And it's not just an issue in the cold and rain- some of the most unpleasant passive smoking occurs in high summer when everyone wants to sit outside.

Our children and grandchildren will be as baffled at our generation's tolerance of smoking as we are at our parents and grandparents leaving us in the car outside the pub/putting brandy in baby bottles/being content for teachers to hit their children in school.

We know how dangerous it is and we know how many people find second-hand smoke unpleasant or downright deleterious to their health, yet it's still held up as some kind of civil liberty

Exactly this.
What amuses me is how many smokers think they're making some brilliant point saying 'ooh you're only upset now you're out here with us' when many of us have long thought people should be free to sit in an indoor or outdoor venue without being subjected to second hand smoke.

I find it bizarre that I used to ride in the back of my friend's mum's car without a seatbelt as a child because the car had no rear seatbelts and then when I was older I had a backless booster in my parents'car. My DC are in rear facing seats as long a possible. The more we learn, the more attitudes change.

@MrsKingfisher

I would love smoking to be banned in all public spaces, indoors and outside. However, my DH smokes and as I don't allow him to smoke in our home or garden he has to go for a walk to be able to smoke. Saying smokers should just smoke in their own homes won't be possible for some smokers.

Are people so addicted that they can't go shopping or have a coffee without having to smoke?
Re the above, yes they are. If I go shopping with my DH to a large shopping mall for more than a few hours he will need to go outside to smoke.

I hate smoking, I hate that my DH smokes, as do our children, but no amount of nagging or making it difficult for him has got him to stop.

I think all smokers are absolute morons and can't understand why they often have no desire to stop doing something so detrimental to their health, and in some cases their children's.

I'm an ex-smoker. I actually enjoy breathing in a bit of smoke - reminds me of my youth

If you don't like it - move somewhere else - simple

I don't like people who drink alcohol in public. I want to be able to go for a meal or drink in peace without some arse getting drunk, loud and obnoxious.

They should ban alcohol in public.

That would be brilliant OP.
Why should smokers get to dominate outdoor spaces?
My DS2 gags and can't stand being near smokers (DS1 isn't keen, but is better at hiding it).
Outdoor seating spaces at this time shouldn't be dominated by stinky smokers.
However I can't see it happening.

Banning in all outdoor public spaces is a bit much IMO. I have always said that anywhere that people are eating should be non-smoking though. So a cafe with mainly outdoor seating, smoking should not be allowed. As for pubs that serve food, rather than banning smoking in the beer garden or making a separate outdoor smoking area, perhaps there could be a rule of no food to be served outdoors.
It will never happen though!

Yes, smokers should have their own shed, on the street. It's totally obnoxious trying to have a coffee outside with cancer sticks being blown into your lungs. Yuck!

I agree OP as there’s no where to go to get away from it. No matter how empty a place is you can guarantee that the smoker will sit right by you. Why they bother to dress up I do not know as they absolutely stink, but you only realize this when you stop smoking.

[quote Bleughbleughbleugh12]@Nottherealslimshady no one is forcing you. You can move[/quote]
What about when you're trying to leave a restaurant or a shop and the door is blocked by clouds of smoke. Or when its raining and someones smoking under the bus shelter. Or everytime you're walking down the street and a smoker passes you and you get a lung full.

I'm asthmatic, and it just plain stinks.

It smells worse than cannabis and there's loads of other drugs you could take that dont spread from you.

I'd be very interested to know the increase in cancer caused by second hand smoke in public areas.

Yes it should be banned in public places. Also that vaping is disgusting.

DumplingsAndStew
Alcohol and smoking don't compare, if that's the point you're trying to make.

I rarely drink and dislike obnoxious drunken behaviour. Ultimately someone else being drunk doesnt affect my health. Someone else being drunk isn't subjecting me to byproducts of alcohol.

If I sit in a beer garden and someone's had a few too many then it has absolutely no impact on my body at all. If I sit in a beer garden and someone sits next to me puffing away like a chimney then they have made the decision that not only do they want to breathe in the toxins from cigarettes but everyone else around them has to.

Smokers are a minority and there are health costs to everyone who breathes in second hand smoke.

@Sally872

I think smoking should be banned for those turning 16 now. They are never allowed to start. Eventually it would be phased out.

I wouldn't ban those who are already addicted from smoking outside. Especially at this time.

I think this is probably the way to go, really simple and easy to enforce. If you don’t have ID stating you were born before 1st Jan 2005 then you cannot buy tobacco.

I disagree.

I have never smoked but I see no reason to prevent an adult smoking outside if they wish, as long as they are considerate about it. I don't like the smell of fatty chips much but I wouldn't ban that either.

To be honest, you sound pretty controlling and selfish. Why do your wants come before anyone else's?

That and vaping. I can’t decide which is worse actually. Vaping is vile, the sweet sickly smell, bleurgh (not envy). Smoke is also vile and disgusting with the happy addition of being really unhealthy.

Perhaps if smoking was banned in all public spaces it would encourage people to quit?

If my DH was unable to go outside a shop, pub or restaurant to smoke he'd have to find an alternative, i.e use Nicorette or just cut back on the fags so he could go longer without one.

He always says he will stop, and has packed in a few times but always ends up back on them as he is too tempted to smoke when he's out drinking. If that was made more difficult he'd be more likely to quit for good. I also think the price of cigarettes should go up even more.

@PortraitOfAWoman
When have I said I didn't want to go outside in the cold? It doesn't bother me at all now, we're well used to it.
Until there is a law passed which stops me from smoking outside, then I will continue to do so. Pubs are dying a death as it is, if they stop smokers smoking outside then many more will have to close their doors.

@MrsKingfisher

Only on MN do people get told 'you sound unhinged' 🙄

If you choose to sit outside amongst others and light up although no one else in your vicinity is yes you're selfish.

So are the people who let their kids run around making a noise.

Shall we ban that too?

Personal preference isn’t a route for banning OP.

@Disfordarkchocolate even low to moderate amounts of alcohol are harmful, why is it allowed?

The public attitude will never change toward smokers - those that currently smoke will have children, some of whom will go on to smoke themselves. Those who are teenagers with friends that smoke are likely to try it themselves.

We knew smoking was dangerous long before the current generations started smoking, you get shown pictures of tar covered gunk in jars in school. You get entire lessons on how dangerous drink and drugs are. Yet people continue to smoke and drink and take drugs. It’s all fine and well getting outraged at someone else’s choice but it’s doing no one any good, only raising your blood pressure and causing yourself stress. Don’t become outraged at something you’ve no ability to change.

And also I'm sick of moving. Sick of ordering food to an outdoor table then having to move because some smokers sat beside us. Having to move a whole picnic because some smokers sat beside us. Leave a bench when knackered so we can breath. We should get them boxes that airports have, public smoking areas where the rest of us dont have to breath it in.

My 2 dds are 23 and 21 neither of them smoke.

No. I don't smoke and dislike the smell as much as anyone........but the smoking ban in pubs has already decimated the pub industry. None smokers got their way there.......it would be unfair to ban smoking outdoors too. Not just to the smokers but also to businesses who will probably lose custom as a result.

Dont worry in Tier three there is no sitting about at all - problem
solved