Quake3World

There was never any real doubt about the outcome of the governments campaign for smoke free public places in England, but it would be fair to say that the announcements today did surprise a few people. The term ’total ban’ is one that has been at the centre of many a debate in pubs country wide, and the customers at work were in full-on whinge mode this evening.

”Its discrimination!”
“You’ll lose your job you know – there will be nobody to serve!”
“The government won’t be happy until we are all eating carrot sticks at home!”
“You can kiss goodbye to the pub trade, we’ll all drink at home!”

As the bartender I should be bricking myself. According to the customers I’ll have no job and my personal licence certificate will be worthless. It is a shame that they all have such one-track minds. I’m a non-smoker, and although I can see the reasoning behind both sides of the argument I still couldn’t care less. If you want a good drink you’ll end up in a bar at some point whether you smoke or not!

If I want to socialise with my mates I’ll go to the pub to do it. I’ve always got a few cans and bottles in the fridge in case people end up back at my house or there is a something worth watching on the telly, but if I wanted to meet up with people I wouldn’t do it sat in my living room. If a group of you are going to watch a football match then you tend to watch it in a pub even if you do have Sky at home. If you are going to have more than a few cans where do you go? The pub. If you are meeting everybody before a night out where do you all decide to go? The pub.

Trade has picked up again after an initial dip in Ireland following the ban, and there are bars in the city centre that are pretty much non-smoking already that are still packed on a weekend.

If people want to go out then they will – if the inability to smoke inside a bar is really that much of a deterrent you’ve got problems. If you’d rather sit at home cradling a can of Carling or a bottle of Corona just so you can smoke I’d be rather worried. The drink may be the same but the atmosphere certainly isn’t.

1v1????

Exactly right.

I think the main issue with smoking is that it has an effect on those around you so regardless of your freedom to do whatever the fuck you want to yourself, there's no right to damage the health of others. That includes those who are employed at places like this too, as they get hit the hardest having to stand there night on night.

As a cigar smoker I'm always amused by laws like these because they get all the cigarette smokers up in arms.

im just gunna stick to locals which allow smoking from now on

i enjoy smoking, why break a habit of a lifetime

Welcome to the good ol' USA.

Get in line and march in lock-step.

the vices go together

the owners of the bar should be the ones making the decision for the bar they own.

if you don't wanna drink by a smoker then don't go into that bar.

i gave up for good nearly a year ago so frankly i don't give a shit any more. it'll be nice to come back from nights out not stinking of other people's stale smoke however

I quit smoking and going to bars. I'm good to go.

you can do good business in bars, allegedly

this is a good thing for everyone, even smokers.

zeke are you getting ur old avitar back?

The banned all smoking in bars and restaurants here last summer. It's been great. Everyone was complaining before the ban, but it's turned out to be a great success.

ireland seemed to cope with it well enough. if it encourages a lot of people to quit then it can't be a bad thing.

seremtan wrote:i gave up for good nearly a year ago so frankly i don't give a shit any more. it'll be nice to come back from nights out not stinking of other people's stale smoke however

Yep. Look at the paddy's. Their pubs are still packed out and most of the smokers would rather have it smoke free in the pubs.
LOL I SAY

Foo wrote:Exactly right.

I think the main issue with smoking is that it has an effect on those around you so regardless of your freedom to do whatever the fuck you want to yourself, there's no right to damage the health of others. That includes those who are employed at places like this too, as they get hit the hardest having to stand there night on night.

But what degree do you then take that to? Do stop people being able to drink to protect the health of those people who are injured by either drunk drivers or drunken yobs?

Do you stop anyone driving a car or vehicle that produces waste fumes? Do you shut down big industry? Do you close the army?

Where do you draw the line?

Grudge wrote:The banned all smoking in bars and restaurants here last summer. It's been great. Everyone was complaining before the ban, but it's turned out to be a great success.

yup.
and now your clothes dont smell like a fucking bonfire when ya get home from the pub.

Do what us swedes do: http://www.snusworldwide.com/us/




mmmmm..yummy.

wow, that looks fucking disgusting.

swedes rape goteborgs? thats sick

Mr.Magnetichead wrote:Where do you draw the line?

Good question.

The distinction I personally draw is that the other items you listed:
A: Have a beneficial function to society (the drink one is a bit controversial I guess).
B: Do not impinge directly on others (1 person drinking will not automatically go drink driving, for example).

Note smoking isn't being banned, it's still legal. What's being made illegal is doing it in public where it has an effect on others.

Also: Democracy - If more people want it than dont want it, it happens. That's how it's supposed to work.

This wasn't a democratic decision though. The public had no input and the ban does not effect people in the houses of parliment. They're still allowed to smoke in there.

Democracy != representative parlamentarism

Mr.Magnetichead wrote:This wasn't a democratic decision though. The public had no input and the ban does not effect people in the houses of parliment. They're still allowed to smoke in there.

It has no effect on the bars in the houses of parliment either...

S@M wrote:zeke are you getting ur old avitar back?

Not sure if it exists anymore to be quite honest with you.