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I agree with all of that, the question is whether the level of harm to others of sitting in an open air space with someone smoking a few yards away is sufficient to justify banning it there. I dislike the smell of cigarette smoke, but I dislike the smell of Lynx too, so if it's just an unpleasant smell...
Banning smoking in any home with kids in it would seem like a bigger win in terms of harm reduction.
ffm-
Be honest though, no one's aftershave / deodorant smells as much as smoke.
Bigger point is surely that if people can't smoke in beer gardens etc they'll just stand on the street, unless that is banned too?
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I agree with all of that, the question is whether the level of harm to others of sitting in an open air space with someone smoking a few yards away is sufficient to justify banning it there.
It definitely is, but added to that is the impact on society of smokers themselves creating a massive unnescessary burden on health services. I say all this as someone who has been trying to give up for a long time, and enjoyed smoking alot for over 20 years. My life would have been longer, healthier and happier if fags had never existed, and the current ban is one more positive step towards that for the next generation.
Yes, one day it will be illegal to smoke in your own home, but seems to make sense we address enforceable public areas first.
andyfallsoff
William.
In so many ways. People are still dying directly and indirectly from second hand smoke, lives shortened, children developing athsma, people with athsma and other respiratory conditions aren't safe in alot of spaces. Then the huge cost, which has been mentioned, on the nhs and the taking up of capacity by people with easily preventable conditions. People will whine about anything, seatbelts, speed limits, solid fuel ban in urban areas, sugar tax, banning hitting kids, which cause obvious harm and death and sensible governments just need to ride out the bullshit until it becomes normal, which it always does, people move on and forget. Cigarettes have been widespread for about a century, which is nothing and easily reversible. To suggest its somehow vital to our ability to socialise or enjoy alcohol or have a thriving hospitality sector is really thick.
Alcohol is a bit different; ale was invented many centuries ago literally as a way of re-hydrating without risking dirty water. I think we will always have beer and places to drink it. Fags will be forgotten and in another century we will be astonished they existed, like asbestos or lead in make up.