New possibility of a total smoking ban in England

Posted by: Rasher on 11 January 2006

Yesterdays news report:

"Tony Blair has indicated that MPs will be allowed a free vote on the government’s plans to ban smoking.

In an interview with The Observer the Prime Minister suggested that offering a free vote would not undermine his legacy.

“I do no think there is any great point of principle but simply what is the right thing to do,” he said.

“Smoking is in a ‘different category’ to education reforms and ‘the core things’.”

So far 101 MPs, including 69 from Labour, have signed an early day motion calling for free vote on the smoking ban proposals and 91 have signed a motion calling for a total ban.

Mr Blair also said that chief medical officer Liam Donaldson was “absolutely right” to call for a complete ban."

I really hope that this time it can be sorted for good. Arguments on both sides, of course, but this has to happen eventually anyway. Let's just get it over with.

Posted on: 19 February 2006 by HTK

Well I’m a sinner and I totally support it. Putting politics and PC to one side, I can’t be the only smoker who dislikes sitting in a public fug. I can remember a time when cinemas, theatres, busses and trains were thoroughly unpleasant places to be. You could have cut cubes out of the air and sold it on as low grade building material. I smoke at home – or to be more precise, in certain parts of it. I don’t smoke in the car, at work (unless I’m working from home) in pubs or restaurants or in other peoples’ homes. It’s an anti social habit which I’m happy to keep to myself.

Anyroadup, maybe once we’ve got smoking sorted we may zoom in on what causes more misery, death, injury, hardship and strain on public services than all the smokers in the universe put together – boozing. I live in hope.

Cheers

Harry

Posted on: 19 February 2006 by Steve Toy

quote:
Anyroadup, maybe once we’ve got smoking sorted we may zoom in on what causes more misery, death, injury, hardship and strain on public services than all the smokers in the universe put together – boozing. I live in hope.

The smoking ban is the thin end of the wedge. In the brave new world every man and woman will be issued with 14 beer tokens a week (to issue the men 21 will be deemed sexist.)

The tokens will be sold at the local post office in books of either 7 or 14 priced at £30 and £60 respectively. Each will be date stamped so that no more than 4 can be used in any one day, and won't be valid without the book they came in. Unused tokens will be invalid 48 hours after the date stamped upon them has passed.

The beer served in the pubs will be taxed and sold for cash as it is today in addition to the cost of the tokens. Thus one pint of Stella will cost £3.95 and 3 tokens. A pint of John Smiths will be £3.55 and 2 tokens. Anyone caught transfering their tokens to another person will be fined £2500 as will the recipient.

Within 5 years the token systyem will be deemed a 100% success (whether it is or not) and will be applied to sugar, salt, saturated fat and sex.

Posted on: 19 February 2006 by Earwicker

quote:
Originally posted by Mick Parry:
those who got done often wrote into newspapers asking why the police did not spend their time chasing burglars instead of law abiding motorists.

That remains a valid point.

quote:
smoking indoors is totally unacceptable

To whom? You or the good law-abiding clientele of the Rose and Crown?

quote:
Originally posted by HTK:
maybe once we’ve got smoking sorted we may zoom in on what causes more misery, death, injury, hardship and strain on public services than all the smokers in the universe put together – boozing.

I see. Not interfering, busy-body, salad munching, carrot-juice slurping, legislating control freaks who want to keep us all safe then?

EW

Posted on: 19 February 2006 by HTK

quote:
Originally posted by Earwicker:

quote:
Originally posted by HTK:
maybe once we’ve got smoking sorted we may zoom in on what causes more misery, death, injury, hardship and strain on public services than all the smokers in the universe put together – boozing.

I see. Not interfering, busy-body, salad munching, carrot-juice slurping, legislating control freaks who want to keep us all safe then?

EW

LOL! Everybody's time comes sooner or later.

Posted on: 19 February 2006 by HTK

quote:
Originally posted by Steve Toy:
quote:
Anyroadup, maybe once we’ve got smoking sorted we may zoom in on what causes more misery, death, injury, hardship and strain on public services than all the smokers in the universe put together – boozing. I live in hope.

The smoking ban is the thin end of the wedge. In the brave new world every man and woman will be issued with 14 beer tokens a week (to issue the men 21 will be deemed sexist.)

The tokens will be sold at the local post office in books of either 7 or 14 priced at £30 and £60 respectively. Each will be date stamped so that no more than 4 can be used in any one day, and won't be valid without the book they came in. Unused tokens will be invalid 48 hours after the date stamped upon them has passed.

The beer served in the pubs will be taxed and sold for cash as it is today in addition to the cost of the tokens. Thus one pint of Stella will cost £3.95 and 3 tokens. A pint of John Smiths will be £3.55 and 2 tokens. Anyone caught transfering their tokens to another person will be fined £2500 as will the recipient.

Within 5 years the token systyem will be deemed a 100% success (whether it is or not) and will be applied to sugar, salt, saturated fat and sex.

Either you've been reading Philip K Dick or maybe there's as yet unrealised income potential in the Toy household? Start copyrighting your posts

Posted on: 27 February 2006 by u5227470736789439

quote:
Originally posted by Steve Toy:

The smoking ban is the thin end of the wedge. In the brave new world every man and woman will be issued with 14 beer tokens a week (to issue the men 21 will be deemed sexist.)
...

Dear Steve,

I think you might find sales of yeast would rise to match the level of sales per head of population found in Norway, which is a nation famous for making huge quantities of bread in the home.

All the best from Fredrik

Posted on: 27 February 2006 by u5227470736789439

News Item.

One State in Australia (New South Wales, I think) is consisdering legislating to ban smoking in private cars on the basis of the possibility of detriment to passenger's health from passive smoking.

I wonder what other contributers, here, think of that? Indeed I wonder if it ought not to be banned in the home, first, where the risk must be even higher. Most people spend the greater part of every day in there own home...

Fredrik

Posted on: 28 February 2006 by gusi

Is the proposed UK total ban just in the work place or UK wide? Does workplace include locations of unpaid work?

A real total ban would be hard to enforce I imagine.

We have a had a restaurant ban (except outside terraces) for some time in WA and I don't really mind it. There is a few smoke free night clubs as well. Not reeking of tobacco when you come home is a plus I must say, but then I am a non smoker.

The proposed ban in cars should be amended to cars with passengers I reckon. Driving in Australia can involve long times in the car and with the airco on recycle the car can get full with stale smoke. The proposed law was brought in to protect the children of smokers.

Gus

Posted on: 28 February 2006 by jlfrs

Re: the ban in cars.

I think the real risk is to other road users. This is because smoking in a car means that only one hand can be properly on the wheel and the driver's attention is split between the road, the physical act of lighting up, smoking and tapping the ash either into a tray, on the floor or out of the window.

Most people I see smoking in cars dispose of the dog end out of the window - a dangerous action which can sometimes mean it's blown back into their laps whereupon panic ensues.

I'm fully in favour - if the Police in the U.K count eating food and mobile phone use as dangerous whilst on the move then the same rule surely has to apply to smoking.

If however the car is stationery then I think that's fine though.

Posted on: 28 February 2006 by gusi

I checked again and the proposed ban is only for car containing children.

"The NSW government supports a ban on smoking in cars containing children and says it will look at the issue when parliament resumes today.

Health Minister John Hatzistergos said the government would support a parliamentary inquiry assessing a private member's bill proposing a complete ban on smoking in cars.

The bill was put forward by Christian Democratic party MP Fred Nile.

Mr Hatzistergos said the health department and non-government partners had run a campaign to stop parents smoking around young children in cars as well as at home, but the issue needed more public discussion....."

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/bid-to-ban-smoking-...8/1141020047985.html

That seems fair enough.

Posted on: 01 March 2006 by Stephen Bennett

quote:
Originally posted by gusi:
I checked again and the proposed ban is only for car containing children.

That seems fair enough.

This is a great idea - I wish it'd been incorporated into our legislation.

(Cue accusuations of 'nanny state' and 'I'll do what I like to my kids in the privacy of my own home or car')

Stephen

Posted on: 01 March 2006 by TomK

Glasgow City Council has just voted to ban smoking in children's play areas in public parks.

The dam appears to be bursting.

Posted on: 01 March 2006 by erik scothron

quote:
Originally posted by TomK:
Glasgow City Council has just voted to ban smoking in children's play areas in public parks.

The dam appears to be bursting.

Good news. High time the filthy things were banned period.