Smoking ban what do you think?

[Lula]

if 12 million adults smoke cigarettes

 

there are 60 million people in the UK, of which 82% are aged 16 or over.

 

82% of 60m is 49.2 million so the percentage of smokers is roughly 25% a quarter of the adult population smoke, so why shouldnt we have a say, why shouldnt there be a choice for us?

[Bookworm]

That's assuming that out of those 25%, all would support the right to smoke indoors, you'd be surprised how many don't.

[Lula]

I am not saying that they would all support the right to smoke indoors, i dont smoke indoors, but I do support the right of people to have a choice and the choice has been taken away. Thats what i totally abhor

[barracad]

why shouldnt there be a choice for us?

 

You have plenty of choice:

• Smoke at home
  
• Smoke outside
  
• Don't smoke

[wednesday1867]

Does anyone know the percentage in tax on a packet of Cigs?

 

If there are 12 million smokers and say 3 million stopped, how much is that in lost tax? Goin on the average of buying 20 cigs a day.

[Spiceskull]

Does anyone know the percentage in tax on a packet of Cigs?

 

If there are 12 million smokers and say 3 million stopped, how much is that in lost tax? Goin on the average of buying 20 cigs a day.

Tobacco tax generates approximately £10.5 billion a year for the Exchequer (source ASH) so if 25% of people stopped the Government would lose about £2.7 billion annually.

 

Considering that smoking related illness costs the NHS about £1.7 billion annually (same source) it is clear that smokers really do contribute to the economy, and so to disenfranchise this group in such a fashion would cost the Government in real terms.

 

Sure, smoking is unhealthy for more than just smokers, and TBH it is quite an anti-social habit to boot. But then so is drunkenness, and I believe that 70% of NHS resources (both time and money) is accounted for by drunkenness in the Thursday night to Sunday morning period.

 

No clampdown on drunken behaviour though - we are not talking about alcoholics, who, in the main, whilst addicted to alcohol do not cause all the trouble we see so frequently in the news...

 

Apart from the demand on the NHS, drunken louts also cause damage to property, assault people, urinate wherever they like, they cause fear and unease in law abiding citizens, they gorge and disgorge fast food and packaging all over the pavement (remember, the manufacture/preparation/cooking of burgers alone contributes enormously to the global carbon footprint)...need I go on...

 

And of course this culture of drunkenness is perpetuated in the media everyday...as a parent I can make choices about protecting my children from smoke (both mine and that of other smokers) but their minds are continually polluted by the "drinking is cool" message...there is no (realistic) choice I can make, as a parent, to protect them from this garbage...

 

That is my rant...about the lack of real choice and the perceived lack of choice complained of by non-smokers...:-|

[wednesday1867]

So as all the non smokers get there wish and more and more people stop smoking, the goverments income goes down.

 

So i hope non smokers dont complain when fuel duty goes up again and everything else, to recoup the losses from the lost revenue off smokers.

[barracad]

So i hope non smokers dont complain when fuel duty goes up again and everything else, to recoup the losses from the lost revenue off smokers.

 

In reality, it will be unlikely to affect non-smokers - as it will be the duty on tobacco which goes up due to people quitting smoking, which in turn will encourage more people to quit, which will then mean the duty on tobacco goes up even more.

[Spiceskull]

In reality, it will be unlikely to affect non-smokers - as it will be the duty on tobacco which goes up due to people quitting smoking, which in turn will encourage more people to quit, which will then mean the duty on tobacco goes up even more.

...and the logical conclusion is that finally, Dave and I will be the only smokers left, and between us we will be contributing £10.5 billion annually in tobacco duty...

 

Dave...anyway to make donations compulsory, and then index link them to the tobacco duty rate?

[barracad]

My dad will never give up, so at least there's three of you to share the cost!

[Spiceskull]

Great, that will save me £1.75 billion annually...probably enough for a holiday or two...

[dave]

I'm still wondering where all the people who supported the ban are.

 

They are not going to the pubs around my way as they promised they would.

 

There was a bloody good band on, on Saturday night, and there were about 5 people watching - this would not have been the scene a few months ago, it would have been packed.

 

So come on you non-smokers who supported the ban - get down the pub now that you can breath 'fresh air' instead of smoke!!

 

;-)

[Russjo]

Well I'm just going to pop my two penneth worth in. I gave up 23 days ago, went into a pub recently and didn't even flinch about not being able to smoke. The fact that I couldn't see or smell the evil weed helped me no end and I'm nearly £200 better off.

[welshcakes]

Well done Russjo. My hubbie smokes (has for 25 yrs) but he loves being 'banned' as he didn't have the will power himself.

 

Is funny actually because if someone walks past that has just had a fag, he can really smell it and thinks it stinks. So happy all round for us

[Russjo]

I know, it's done me a real favour. Unfortunately, my hubby only lasted 18 days. I lovingly tell him every day when he comes home from work that he stinks and he lovingly tells me back, how proud he is of me

[cassie2006]

I smoke and work in the City (London) and there are very few places that have the space for outdoor tables. Can't smoke outside the building that I work in so have been looking for places at lunchtime.

Went to a pub for lunch yesterday that has got outside seating, (this pub is usually packed inside during lunchtimes but it was empty). BUT half of the outside tables had "No Smoking" labels on them.

[sgt_bilko]

I'm not a smoker and personaly I never really minded the smoke in pubs. I can understand how the smoking ban has come about and I think it'll do alot of people alot of good.

 

Unfortunate as it may be for those who do smoke and find facilities are a little sparse. things for you guys i imaginewill improve as public houses, places of employment etc etc get to grips with the whole thing.

 

here is my message to the smokers: Try to use this oportunity to quit, You'll save money and maybe not too late to save your health.

 

and my message to my fellow nonsmokers: Enjoy the space and the smoke free pubs.

 

I feel like Jeramy Kyle!

 

Good night folks and be good to yourselves and each other! (or is that springer?)

 

[dave]

...or should that be, enjoy the empty, smoke free pubs?

[Spiceskull]

In Cornwall, thanks to the vast acres of undeveloped land, most pubs have ginormous beer gardens...is it any wonder that all the tables are full (of smokers) and the pub itself is practically empty (except for the barmaid, who is desperate to sneak out for a quick fag)

 

Guess what...there are very few non-smokers in the pubs or beer gardens, even though they have now got their wish to "reclaim" the right to go to pubs without being poisoned...

 

Hypocrites the lot of them...

[cassie2006]

hear Hear!!!!

[dave]

Yep - another win for the PC crowd!

 

Dangerous direction we're heading in if you ask me!

[barracad]

A Blackpool Landlord who persistently allowed his customers to smoke indoors was today sentenced for his crimes.

 

Hamish Hamilton, 55, was sentenced to 10 years in prison with hard labour for each offence, making a total of 120 years consecutive, with a recommendation that he serve his sentence in a non-smoking prison, and no possibility of parole.

 

His firm of lawyers, Cutt & Runn, described the sentence as "an outrage" and pledged to fight on for as long as their client's money was available.

 

"Exactly how magistrates came to this decision is a mystery. We think that a fine might have been the way forward, but clearly there has been some kind of influence here."

 

ASH, who had urged magistrates to "make an example" of the renegade, were "satisfied" with the verdict. A spokesman said, "This goes to show that ordinary people won't put up with the health hazards from second-hand smoke. There is no excuse for it. We hope that anyone, anywhere in the United kingdom, caught with a cigarette near any building at all, will be locked up for good. It's the only answer."

 

The Council, which brought the charges, has closed and demolished the pub, and declared a 4 mile exclusion area around the street as a biohazard.

 

A Council worker near the site, still wearing a full biohazard suit, said, "At least the property has been made safe, and the hazardous cigarette ends have been safely disposed of. The chemicals from the smoke are expected to disperse over the next 15 to 20 years, after which the site will be landscaped and should be safe to build on after 40 years."

[dave]

I'm sure it won't be too far into the future before we actually are reading reports like that.

[Spiceskull]

Go on...time to ressurrect this one yet again.

 

I was accosted in the Asda car park earlier, by a woman promoting a campaign to get the Government to reverse the blanket ban. The thrust of the argument was that instead of giving choice to non-smokers the right to choose has been denied to smokers...

 

Anyway, I digress. She then went on to discussing ID cards (she was convinced they will be implemented, although I am not so sure) and also the so called potential ban/control on alcohol as the next demon...

 

Then she said something odd...something she has heard from a publican friend of hers. They are piloting an ID card scheme, with, presumably, those people who already took part in the original pilot for ID cards.

 

The test pubs have a scanner, and you cannot purchase a drink without your ID card being scanned...once you have had four units of alcohol you cannot get served anymore...move to the next pub and they still won't serve you...

 

Now, THAT is scarey, and if true, the implications for other choices in your life are devastating..."sorry, you can't buy the paper of your choice, you MUST buy the Daily Mail today...sorry, no sugar, you have had your week's ration..."

 

Anyone else heard anything along these lines?

[barracad]

once you have had four units of alcohol you cannot get served anymore...move to the next pub and they still won't serve you...

 

Ever?! :o

 

Best start stocking up now then...