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We have as smokers of the world endured the past, just short of a week the Smoking Ban, and it has proved to be exactly what I expected. The majority of the pub users smoking outside, whilst people that you have never seen in the pub looking out with their smug grin for the first few days, and then not seen for the rest of the week as they are not usually pub people. This is evident throughout the area in which I live and travel in.
Pubs and clubs should be given the choice
Whilst I can understand that as a non-smoker you are subjected to passive smoking, in the main users of pubs and clubs are smokers, but nevertheless the law is the law and so be it. I would agree with restaurants, enclosed public areas and the like should be smoke free in general, but pubs and clubs should be given the choice to choose whether they wish to be a Smoking Establishment or not, and then subject to regulations concerning the ventilation of these establishments and this could be derived through specific determinations made from regulations. Most establishments have air conditioning these days and air filtration can added to their system quite easily.
In this past week I have noted how many soap dodgers there are, and the amount of people that need to go to a pharmacy and purchase some deodorant, and a number of people need to revise their diet, quickly.
In addition I think we have all forgot how much revenue that will be lost from this ban; the indirect funding that smokers have made to a number of the governments budgets through taxation on smoking products. This lost income will have to come from somewhere, and all of the non-smokers that have looked upon people who smoke over the years as lepers, will soon be putting their hands in their pockets and paying more tax somewhere. Possibly even a 2% rise on income tax. Maybe this will take that smug look off their faces when they have pay out more in tax or many of the hidden taxes that we have to endure in this country.
The Spanish and the French got it right, ignore the government, but improve your air flow units and put up clear signs that the establishment that you are entering is a smoking establishment. You have been warned, if you don't like smoking then be sensible and don't go into that particular establishment. The individuals choice - remember Big Brother has taken ours as smokers away from us.
Revise the Law Mr Brown, don't revoke it, make it fair for everyone and remember as smokers we have funded this country for a long while.
By: JD
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I'm not convinced. When I sit in a pub drinking, the number of people who nip outside for a cigarette every so often is much less than the number of people who don't.
Smoking is a lifestyle choice. Just as drinking is. Just like driving is. Just like moaning about others is.
You know what, all of the above can lead to death.
Smoking costs the NHS 400 million pounds per year. Revenue, tax blah blah is at 10 billion?
I have to laugh when watching the non smokers walking through a wall of smokers stood outside a pub door.
Once all of you do gooder non smokers eat healthily everyday at every meal, exercise everyday for a few hours, don't drink, don't moan and can drive perfectly, maybe, just maybe I'll stop smoking.
From the age of 4yrs old I was brought up in a pub, this of course was during the war and many people needed thier ciggies for a comfort of some sort. Every pub we had had a SMOKE ROOM so if you didn't want the smoke you had a choice and everyone would be happy.
I would like to know how much the government has lost in duty and over the last sixty years I have paid into this CLUB. I think I must have paid enough to make my hospital should I need it and we must rty to stop the nation becoming a DICTATORSHIP at any cost doing away with all these silly rules.
How is it fair that I come home from a club absolutley kippered because your selfish ass wants a fag?!
Hurryup and get cancer you stupid smoker.
What they really need is a dummy.
I've seen pregnant women smoke and I find this particulary revolting.
Smokers are broke.
Smokers take too many breaks and cost employers lots of money.
Smoking is dangerous and treatment for the diseases caused my smoking is very high.
Smoking should be taxed just to help with the extra health care needed for people with smoking related illnesses.
Government will always find a way to tax us. They do it all the time. Council tax; TV tax (and what a lot of rubbish that is paying some dj over £600 k a year. I object to that. Inheritance tax; income tax - my god all it is tax. I'm surprised we have any money. They'll tax a fart if they could.
not put alcohol under counters,as this seems to be just as bad for kids,lets stop putting drink ads on tv that make it look exciting and cool and cleaver to drink.
MP Alan Johnson says it costs the n.h.s 1.5 billion to treat smokers thats rich considering
smokers provide 8.5 billion pounds in taxes plus the billions that the three big tobacco
companies provide,how much does drinking related illness cost the n.h.s. to save smokers costting the nhs why not build smokers only hospitals with tobbaco taxes then they would be the finest hospitals in brittan, since the no smoking ban pubs have been closing,and people
have lost there jobs when the last pub in britain closes its door will the nonsmokers then be
happy I think not.
I can't find the reasons for the people to smoke in public places while everyone knows the danger of smoking to smokers and non-smokers. If we want to build a strong nation we have to ruin whaever is preventing us from going ahead. Smoking is very bad to the smokers as well as non-smokers.It led to many diseases such as cancer and many others,it cause people to be addicted.
The total revenue raised through duty and VAT on tobacco is about 10 billion pounds per annum in the UK. I believe this is roughly equivalent to the NHS total annual spend on drugs in England and Wales. So if everyone stopped smoking there would certainly be a 'consequent impact on the NHS'. Probably not quite the one you imagine though!
You won't be saying that when then start to recoup the revenue lost through smoking via your perosnal tax code or through some other stealth tax that the Government may dream up to compensate for the loss of revenue smokers give the Government.
It's about reducing smoking, not making money. It's wrong that the government makes so much money from addiction, it's good they're actually doing something to reduce smoking.
bravo
When was the last time anyone saw a fight, resulting in police and ambulance time, because someone had smoked to excess?!!!!!!! spent time in a cell to give them time to "come down" from the tobacco high?!!!or overdosed and got high as a kite on fags?!!!!!
Druggies do not contribute by being taxed yet they get FREE alternative drug remedies!