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."

You go and smoke and don't give a fuck about the people around you, there's a love.

Sotty DrNortherner but to say most is rubbish - how could 15 million smokers grow and dry tobacco leaves.

Smoking costs the country more than 1.5bn a year. It may not be as much as the revenue it brings the government (which is why they blindly ignore it all) but it is a huge cost to the country.

Even if it meant that 50% of people stopped smoking - but it would be dar more than this, then surely it is worth it.

I'm not claiming to be heroic. I just like teh odd fag everynow again, and whilst its legal I will continue to do so thanks very much.

Tobacco companies want future generations to keep smoking. And smokers enable them to do that.

Says it all.

well hopefully soon it will be illegal.

If you don't like eating whilst people are smoking outside then sit inside to eat, simple. You can then go outside and enjoy the sunshine afterwards. Or if you just don't actually want to be around smokers in the beer garden then complain to the landlord and if that doesn't get a result, which it won't, then take your beer home.

I'm leaving this thread now, it's silly.

while I'm fired up and on a roll then smoking in cars should definitely be banned - often dangerous and when I see people smoking with kids in the back.... then

It is a huge cost yes, but in the 1.5 billion you would save youd be down approx 8 billion in tax revenue from smokers.
Where is the 8bn going to come from?
Thats really bad, but thats how it works.

Like I said before if its down to money, we could save a lot more by banning drinking (unless in your own home of course)

Well no dear you see cigarettes contain dangerous substances, dangerous to the lungs, and whilst you can defend your right to poison yourself to the death [sooner than you may think] civilisation is catching onto the fact that is is bonkers to allow one person's right to a transitory pleasure that is also dangerous to others to go above others' rights. So soon I am quite sure smoking in public places will be illegal. And then you are very welcome to leave the country. Serbia or China are good places to smoke. Both have very high death rates from smoking too, oddly.

No Government wil ban smoking, ever.

Houses of Parliamnet = biggest load of cigar smokers going.

1.5bn is a low estimate

I apologise for saying 'sooner than you may think' That was unnecessary. I have absolutely zero tolerance for this kind of thing after my experience with my father.

So you really think that it's morally acceptable to want the tobacco companies to remain in business (which they can ONLY do by recruiting new generations of smokers - ie YOUR children and MY children) just on the basis that you want to avoid the govt being down on tax revenue?

Now THAT'S scary.

That was to mosschops btw

violet i have no interest in the tax, I was making a point to treesa who keeps harping on about the fact that smokers cost the NHS 1.5bn.
Please read the posts before you spout off at me.
And SCARY is a person who cant see past their own opinion

SCARY is a person who can't see beyond what they want, fuck everyone else, despite the science.

Well I for one don't want to be any part of propping up the obscene tobacco companies.

Creating a smoking ban is pretty pointless if you don't enforce it. That means you need to create a smoking police and a system to punish smokers. This costs money and is a questionable priority given that there are murderers and rapists and knife weilding yobs on the loose.

the same argument was used when the govt said they were banning smoking indoors DrN. Smokers said it couldn't be enforced/would waste police time etc.

I think it would be very difficult to enforce a ban. I also think there are higher priorities than smoking outside. And we have moved forward a long way in banning smoking indoors which has already resulted in a drop in numbers of smokers.

The best way would be if people could actually make the link that every time they buy tobacco they are keeping the obscene industry in business! And then, having made the link, care enough to not want to support it!

@mosschops30 I don't keep harping on about the cost to the NHS. It was crackfox or some other drug induced name introduced the argument that smoking brings more to the government than it costs in treating people..

I just found a different figure that suggests the overall cost is possibly more than this - that's all.

If people didn't spend money on smoking then they'd spend that money on other goods or services andwouldn't that be just as good for the economy...?

I for one think this govertnment or the next will bring about a complete ban onsmoking and make it illegal for shops to trade in them.

Yes but banning in indoors was completley different, smokers have the option to get up and step outside to smoke. Managing the ban indoors is much easier - all public places have a manager/owner who can eject the offender.

Who is in charge outside in my local park? On my street corner? Sitting on a bench outside?

If smokers stopped and spent their money on other stuff (apart from alcohol) the revenue is far, far less. Tax or VAT would have to go up - a lot.

Every single smoker knows it is killing them. They choose to carry on regardless.

I would like police to devote their time to proper criminals not somebody having a crafty fag on a park bench.

I hope it happens,

they should ban it completly,

Smoking is vile.

And everytime I see someone light up I think 'What a fucking idiot that person must be'.

Oh when I see somone looking unhealthy huffing and puffing on a fag I think the same thing. But I also think the same thing when i see an obese person tucking into a bigmac, or when I see a binge drinker down their 15th vodka of the night.

The amount I smoke is inconsequential, haven't had one for months, but tonight I will. And that is my choice.