Non Smoking

Trencher wrote:Unfortunately no bar will be willing choose to risk loss of business by being the first to go smoke free. So effectively, there is no choice. On the occasions I indulge in a cigarette, I do it outside, +40 or -20. I would never want to inflict carcinogenic chemicals on others. Fortunately no one was ever addicted to asbestos and DDT, or we would be arguing over those as well.

I agree that no bar would be willing and I am sure they would all apply for a license. But what would be beyond their control would be how many licenses available and who got them. Easy peasy...a small percentage of smoking bars only in each town would get a lisence. As a smoker I would have been quite willing to walk an extra mile to get to a smoking bar.

Y'know what, I was not going to not mention this, but as snowb4nit said, many non smokers think they're a cut above, so thpught I would!
I, a smoker for yrs until about 12 mths ago, while being worried about my kids breathing in smoke are far more worried about 2 other things:
1 is mobile phone masts and all the radiation emitted, which is FAR more dangerous than ciggie smoke, yet use of other people's mobiles is out of my control, and it doesn't matter WHERE you are, you are exposed to it! (And all these hypocrites campaigning against masts nearby annoy me. How do they think their bloody phones work? It's a "not on my front doot mentallity")
Secondly, despite rising fuel costs and everyone moaning, the vast majority drive to the local shop half a mile away, drive their kids to school (even in high school) a mile or two away and the thing that REALLY annoys me, they sit in their stationary car with the engine running. Car exhausts emit FAR more crap than a ciggie.
Don't believe me? Sit in a car with a smoker for half an hour while they chain smoke. yes you will cough but you wont die.
then sit in a car with a hosepipe attached to the exhaust. of course, you won't live to tell the tale.....................
And no, I DON'T use a mobile generally. We have a family one we take away on journeys with us for emergencies and my dd takes it to school with her for the same reason, A fiver was put on it about 6 yrs ago and there is till £2. on it.
We have a family car which does 2.5k miles a yr. Both my kids walk over 2 miles to their grammar schools and at primary I walked 3 miles each day with them. My hubby cycles 5 miles to work.
So before non smokers who pollute everywhere with their cars and phones have a go, think on!! ..
OK, rant over. It's my pet hate!!

john987 wrote:The situation that annoys me is you stop for lunch its blowing a blizzard and its minus 20. myself and a few other foolish outside smoking its ok everybody warm inside.the next day nice and sunny everybody now outside having there lunch.so where does the smoker go now. As a smoker it has always annoyed myself if whilst eating someone nearby is smoking and try too be sympathethic to others but it can be impossible on a busy veranda.and on occasions had families come and share the table and then complain if I light a cigarette. I leave the pack on the table for a reason in plain sightfor a reason

That irritates the life out of me too. Non smokers who sit outside and still complain about the smoke. I feel like telling them to 'go forth and multiply' back inside where they have been awarded the smoke free haven they always wanted. The other thing is smoke actually dissipates very quickly outdoors so I doubt anyone is going to be affected anyway!

An interesting topic.

Of the two things I love above all else with skiing one is the sense of getting away from the grime and grind of the real world and ascending into an unspoiled landscape of breathtaking views and cool crisp air...

Now in a club or pub (where I may choose to go) I don't mind the smoke at all. Free choice 'n' all. In fact sometimes it adds (if you'll excuse the pun) to the atmosphere. I don't smoke but that's my choice and others are free to do what they wish.

I remember a trip up a beautiful drag lift last year. An old gent (an instructor no less) was smoking a cigar on the way up, and my word did it smell good. Blue skies, fresh piste and that subtle smell. Magical.

Conversely if I were at the only restaurant half way down a mountain run this type of attitude would irritate the hell out of me...

snowb4ndit wrote: ...Non smokers who sit outside and still complain about the smoke. I feel like telling them to 'go forth and multiply'...

If I'm a non smoker then I do indeed feel I have a right to sit outside, admire the view and enjoy my meal and not have someone else's second hand smoke waft all over me!! I fully respect an individual's right to do anything they please providing it doesn't impact on those around them.

Imagine I saw nothing particularly wrong in relieving myself up against a tree in a deserted forest. Now it would make an unpleasant smell, may well be offensive to others, may represent a heath risk, would disperse into the ground / air in a couple of minutes, but would probably put someone off their lunch. Now I might chose to do so in that deserted forest, but I wouldn't do it 2 feet away from a table with a family of four who are probably trying to enjoy the best week of their year that they've spend the last 51 weeks saving up for...

For me not inflicting my habits on others is just a respect thing, like not pushing in, or watching your language when there are kids around.

End of rant.

Owen.

Maybe their should be a small non smoking area on terraces/ veranda so they can accommodate for all

I always find it strange that if someone were to sit in other people's company and repeatedly fart they would be seen as rude. It wouldn't smell nice but there would be no health risks to the other people nearby. No-one has ever defended this behaviour to me.

If I were to light up a cigarette, which smells unpleasant, leaves a residual smell on the clothing of others and causes harm to the health of people in the vicinity, not just the carcinogenic side, there are other problems too, such as asthmatics. Some people will defend my right of choice 'til they're blue in the face.

If the hospitality industry had regulated itself a ban would have been much less likely. It refused to spend anything on self regulation. The ban came into effect. Pubs have spent plenty on smokers shelters, heaters, etc. Maybe they could have spent something on the 3/4 of their clients who didn't smoke a few years earlier?

All non-smoking areas I ever came across were a small minority of seating/floor space. Despite the majority of customers being non-smokers. Smokers are a vocal minority with a habit that is harmful to the health of others. Surely that harm merits a little consideration for others rather than an aggressive hard-done-to demeanour?

The first pub/restaurant in my town to ban smoking did a huge trade. Lots of smokers went in too. Volunteering to step outside to smoke.

I don't smoke.

How is that relevant? Points are either agreed with or disagreed with. Whether anyone smokes or not doesn't make them righter or wronger.

Edit: That response makes me think my post was aimed at you. It wasn't, it was my thoughts on all the previous posts.