Banning smoking outdoors?

[MrsMerryHenry]

Did anyone else hear about this on R4 (PM programme) this evening? I can't find an article about it anywhere. Is this a serious proposal?

It does make me when smokers complain about infringement of civil liberties over this issue. I don't believe I have ever heard a smoker talk about non-smokers' civil liberties being infringed every time someone lights up. And non-smokers have been putting up with second-hand smoke for about as long as humans have walked the earth. So although a very small part of me feels a wee bit sorry for smokers, that they're being pushed into a corner, the rest of me goes "ROFLROFLROFL it's about time."

tbh I can't seeing it working
I think getting the drunks of our streets and the yobs who make people's lives a misery(and cause them to kill themselves) should be more of a priority.

'I'm an ex-smoker, and I think anything that pushes folk to smoke only on their own property (possibly in front of/on same premises as kids) is both ill thought out and ridiculous.'

• er, nope. No one is pushing anyone to smoke anywhere. There is a choice here, you know. A choice to start and a choice to keep smoking. And yes, I know certain substances are addictive, but bottom line is, no one is forcing those cigarettes into your mouth. If smoking were banned totally in public places, people would still have a choice about whether lighting up and smoking over their own kids is more important than not lighting up.

I am a non smoker and I think this is getting ridiculous

Even as a severe asthmatic, walking past a group of smokers doesn't affect me, I don't believe people who say it does.

The air is full of crap and a few cigarettes aren't going to make much of a difference to those walking around

I'd like to know how the government is going to get enough money in when everyone stops smoking, the duty on smokers is enourmous

I didn't hear the story so don't know where exactly outdoors it's proposed to ban smoking, but I do object, no that's too strong, I am a bit disappointed that since the ban came in the effect on pubs and cafes is that the outdoor seating is the de facto smoking area. Especially with a buggy, the street tables or the beer garden is the most convenient place to sit but now it's the only place smokers can be it drives non-smokers indoors. Which is crap in the summer.

Im an ex smoker, but think that makes me a smoker, I will smoke again after this baby is born, but hopefully only socially.

I do feel that its going a bit mad, like many say plenty of offensive things in the street (tramps, drunks, those charity people, chavs, yobs, fumes from factories, fumes from buses) but you cant ban all of those.
I do think smokers get picked on quite a bit,I think more needs to be done by cleaning up the UK generally rather than having our cities full of drunken twats every thursday-sunday and bank hols, or big groups of chavvy yobs hanging around.

There are far worse things that the odd smoker lurking around in the street

Good post amtooyoungforthis i have severe asthma too and i am in total agreement with you.

In a way it might be better if some pubs could choose to allow smoking. There could be smoking pubs and non smoking pubs.

I know traffic fumes are awful and often wish buses would get banned - I'm convinced they are worse for everyone than the same number of cars being used, especially when there is like 1 person on the bus.

but at least they serve a purpose. Smoking just kills people and makes them ill, I'm sure the govt would save a bit on NHS costs if more people stopped...

amtooyoungforthis - My DS has Cystic Fibrosis and any slight smoke or aerasol sets him off coughing really badly, i have a really weak chest and it makes me cough so i think i does effect some people.

Er if they banned drinking the NHS would save a lot more money than banning smoking.
Just the difference in A&E of an everning would be a saving in itself, thats without all the other problems drinking causes.

You dont get smokers fighting and smacking health professional on a weekend!

I am an ex smoker (sometimes have the odd one with a glass of vino) and think it would be insane to ban smoking outside.

How can you ban an activity that is perfectly legal?

Yes Moss I agree, however the govt doesn't seem bothered about the drinking culture so not much point hoping

I hate the way people can behave on a night out, disgusting.

mosschops - you are talking about the results of irresponsible drinking. I am perfectly capable of enjoying a few drinks without a)affecting anyone else's health or b)creating a stink.

Whereas smoking is toxic, end of.

If someone still chooses to smoke, then at least doing it in their own home means that only the people in that home are affected. Pretty shitty for any children there, I agree, as they have no choice in it. But obviously some people don't really care about the effects on anyone else.

I think the problem with Smoking is that you can control where the smoke itself is going, i know some people act like twats whilst drunk but a human ca actually control a drink, it goes into thier body no one else has to drink it or get the toxicity of it, with smoke if one person smokes everyone in the vacinity has to smoke wether they want to or not.

I would be happy to have smoking/non smoking pubs or cafes ect then i could simply choose not to go into the smoking ones, i have never had a problem with other people smoking its when im forced to do it as well that pisses me off i respect my body and i dont want to mess it up.

I don't smoke so don't really care if they ban smoking outside or not. However, if the govt. hates smoking so much they should make it illegal. It worked ever so well with heroin and cocaine.

As aside tax revenue from cigarettes is in the region of £9billion per year. Smoking related illnesses costs the NS £1.5 billion per year. In effect smokers are subsidising the NHS. That doesn't even take into account how much the save the tax payer by dieing early and not claiming as much pension.

If the govt. wants to ban something it should ban cars. They stink and are killing the planet.

Does anyone have a link to an article on this ridiculous proposal?

I've never heard anything about it. So can only assume it was a joke, until I see it in black and white.

I think the've gone as far as they can with the smoking ban.

It will never happen so I wouldn't worry about it.

Violethill if someone is addicted to (or just plain old happens to enjoy it) smoking then it is right that it is kept away from people who dont smoke. I think its a shame that you keep on saying that people should be forced into smoking ONLY in their own homes even if it means affecting their children which by default makes them selfish and uncaring about their own children's health. What is wrong with there being designated smoking areas which dont encroach on non smokers (im a non smoker and i am perfectly capable of avoiding a smoking area if i know where is is).

There are many things that are bad for our health and we choose to do it and as long as it doesn't affect others then that gives us a say over what we do with our own bodies, however you seem to be saying that people should be forced to smoke in one place only making it difficult for others who live with them to escape it and thats not fair because nothing in a democratic society should be forced.

I agree with an earlier poster who said that the entrances to pubs,outside cafes and beer gardens were now the places that smokers had migrated to so they are now an unpleasant place for a non smoker to be and it just seems to me that there are facilities for both smokers and non smokers or there should be. If i was a smoking bartender then the likelihood is that i wouldn't mind working in a smoking pub, my risk, my choice at least there would be work for a bartender because the rate that pubs are being shut down in the UK because people didn't get a choice is terrible.

I think its total bollocks anyway, this would be a step to far for most middle thinking people and it would be a very scary scenario - what next?

Its difficult to judge untill you have had to walk down a street where someone smoking could actually be directly very harmfull to your very sick child. I agree with designated smoking areas then i could avoid taking ds to those places and i could be comfortable knowing that everywhere else would be safe for him.

'Violethill if someone is addicted to (or just plain old happens to enjoy it) smoking then it is right that it is kept away from people who dont smoke. I think its a shame that you keep on saying that people should be forced into smoking ONLY in their own homes'

You must be reading someone else's posts, because I've actually said the total opposite! I am saying that NOBODY is forced into smoking.

I think if someone wants to smoke, despite knowing all the risks, the onus is on them to keep it away from other people. If smoking were ever banned totally in public places (can't see it happening, but if) then smokers would still be choosing to smoke in their own homes - no one would hold a gun to their head and make them do it! And I agree that it would be pretty horrible to do it in a house with kids (or anyone else actually) who don't have a choice. Which is why the sensible choice would seem to be not to smoke!

The bus stop over the street from our main hospital entrance is juststrewn with cigarette butts.. I hate it.. Visitors, nurses, doctors and even patients troop out of hospital to light up and then shelter under the bus shelter.. Absolutel do I feel sorry for all the poor folk who are genuinely waiting to catch the bus..

Let's imagine that Players or Rothmans or whoever makes ciggies discovered tobacco this year. What would happen - they would run tests and find that it causes people to die. Would any gvernment allow it to be approved for use with the public.....

No

Tobacco companies should be closed down but the US and other large governments don't have the balls to do it.

My thoughts exactly, so you force smokers, to light up in their homes with children around rather than go outside. Nice sentiments from the anti smokers.

The government will be shooting themselves in the foot, cannot imagine many free thinking holidaymakers would want to visit a country that does this.

Don't know why I'm even posting on here, agree it's not going to happen, sorry.

ROFL at this idea that any smoker is forced to do it!

Are smokers an entirely different species who really have no free will or something!!

Sadly it will never happen the Government are to greedy.

Violet - if they ban cigarettes do you think people will stop smoking? Really?

No, I don't think that. What a naive idea. I am simply pointing out that there is a choice here!