So, this smoking ban...when and how does it kick in? Midnight on Saturday? Dong..."OUTSIDE IF YOU'RE SMOKING!! GO ON, OUT YOU GO!"

[WendyWeber]

Or doesn't it start until Sun lunchtime? Or will it be OK to start the ban Sat evening?

I can imagine the occasional bout of fisticuffs in 1 or 2 pubs on Saturday night

It has made a massive difference in Wales since it came in earlier this year.

The ban begins at 6am on 1st July.

.. which is my birthday ... and I'm a smoker!

i wonder if they'll be lots of underground smoking dens sprouting up

Hope so!

No but, well at least in Ireland, the smokers all bail out together in their droves for a fag outside or in the allocated zones, ie outdoor but with shelter and heaters and that's were all the fun is!

Oh and be prepared for fart, bo odours etc, air might be cleaner, fresher but that ole fag fume did mask other unpleasant smells.

Yep, all the fun will be outside! You see, us smokers already know that the hand of doom is upon us, so we make hay while the sun shines.

You're all doomed to live out your long life in old people's homes that smell of wee.

He he!

Mhamai, the English never fart or sweat

Desiderata, thanks for that, DS1 works in a v smoky pub on Sat nights and he was wondering!

I work in pubs too, Wendy.

A smoky pub is not good, but a landlord worth his salt should have mitigated the effects years ago.

In my pub, for ten years, only roll-ups have been allowed. The smoke is far less pervasive. He had non-smoking areas, great ventilation, etc, etc.

The problem with the smoking ban is that lots of people will now think it's OK to take their kids into pubs. Even non-smoking publicans would prefer smoke to kids .. so you will all have to abide by NO KIDS signs as well as NO SMOKING signs

Oh yes I forgot Wendy, technically speaking, they flatulate and perspire. Goodness what was I thinking?

I love going out to the pub now since the ban came in here (Ireland) - you can go home and get up the next day and wear the same clothes - if you so wished.

Ponce!

Eventually all the pubs will close anyway

the entrances will be buried buy a fag end mountain

Its a fab thing - I really dont mind going to pubs now and dh can at all - before the Scotland ban pubs just made him wheezy.

its also nice that noone can light up in a restaurant while you are eating.

It has had the knock on effect of creating a continental cafe style culture in Glasgow as now everyone is outside, and you can always get a seat inside.

V civilised. We should have had it years ago.

Agree completely, harrisey!

Thing is that people who do smoke can still smoke in their houses, or their cars, or their gardens, (or other people's gardens), or any other non-regulated place - nobody has said Thou Shalt Not Smoke, ever, on pane of deth - I don't understand why they have to be so evangelical about it, frankly...

And read what martianbishop said about telling your young children that you're going to die soon, and knowing that it's something you did yourself that caused it

God, look at this "article"

smoker propaganda

"social glue"?
"most persecuted minority"?
"Pay their debt to society on a daily basis"?

As Catherine Tate's Nan would say: "Wot a load of SHIT!"

I thought Mr Cigarettes was a pretentious tosser when I used to read his NME stuff. I see he hasn't changed.

i agree with some of what he says though (and i remember him from nme) i have made quite alot of friends through gathering around the allocated places.

I cannot wait for the smoking ban to come in (sorry to all you smokers out there). I hate going to the pub or restaurant and coming home stinking of smoke when you have spent so long getting ready to go out.
I went to a wedding reception in a pub/restaurant recently and the smell of smoke in there was unbearable and I left early in the end. I think it is good that people can go into pubs and restaurants and not have to endure other peoples smoke. However, smokers should have somewhere that they can go to smoke away from everyone else. Where I work they have installed smoking shelters outside, in this weather with the rain and the wind it is not going to be very pleasant to pop outside for a ciggie.

Boris Mosstops said that as well but I live in student pub central and have noticed zilch except that pubs are nicer palces to be. No problems or anything.

Desi's bitthday is the same as my ex MIL

ah that explain a lot

Mine's a week after (used to be a triangle- Mums 7 days til MIl's 7 days til mine) and I am so looking forwards to a smoke free evening out!

Only worry is that the smokers will sit outside smoking over my kids in the playa reas, however the most inportant thing is that we can at least move inside to escape it- there was nowhere to go before

Can't wait to be able to go out and not come home stinking of second hand smoke. Will be lovely

Can't see how it will encourage people to take their children into pubs though I have always taken DD out into restaurants and some suitable pubs, this ban won't make me do that any less or more frequently.

No Smoking areas in places were a joke. Smoke travels. No amount of ventilation prevetns it.

Message withdrawn

Agree Hula about the smoking areas, all my smoker friends claim the air doesn't mix and I wonder if their sense of smell has been damaged
9actuially I know the sense of smell has been damaged from the gallons of eprfume they wear and caim I cant smell it at all)