Reply With QuoteIt's somethin realli good coz smokin the public will produce 2nd smokin of which is more harmful to the passers than the smokers themselves.
British Parliament Votes to Ban Smoking in Public
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/14/in...syahoo&emc=rss
February 14, 2006
British Parliament Votes to Ban Smoking in Public
By ALAN COWELL
LONDON, Feb. 14 — After a tortured debate, Britain's Parliament voted overwhelmingly today for a total ban on smoking in public places — a move that seemed certain to end the time-hallowed traditions of the smoky British pub, where a pint of ale and a cigarette once defined the down time of generations.
The decision, by an unexpectedly high margin of 384 to 184, brought England into line with Ireland, which barred smoking in public places in March 2004, and with other parts of Britain, like Scotland and Northern Ireland, where bans are to come into force over the next 13 months. The local Parliament in Wales has also said it will seek a full ban. The English ban is expected to come into force next year.
The issue was seen as so divisive within the ranks of the ruling Labor Party that legislators were given what is called a free vote, enabling them to defy the party line if they wished.
Monday's ballot overturned the formal policy of Prime Minister Tony Blair's government, which had supported a partial ban permitting smoking in private members' clubs and pubs that do not serve food. The compromise would have permitted smokers to congregate in drinks-only pubs.
Opponents of that policy — including Patricia Hewitt, Mr. Blair's health secretary, and, according to the Press Association news agency, Mr. Blair himself, had said that passive smoking would damage the health of workers in any club or pub, whether food was served or not.
"This legislation is good news for tens of thousands of bar staff up and down the country," said Steve Webb, a legislator from the Liberal Democrat opposition. "The key issue has always been the health and safety of people who work in public places."
Ms. Hewitt said the arguments over banning smoking on private members' clubs were "very finely balanced" but a total ban provided a "level playing field" among all premises serving alcohol.
The government estimates that 600,000 people will give up smoking when the new law is enforced. "This bill is going to save thousands of people's lives," Ms. Hewitt said, comparing the ban to the legal requirement to wear safety belts in cars.
Some smokers, interviewed on British television, said the decision was one more sign of a "nanny state" encroaching into private lives. But campaigners from many anti-smoking groups welcomed the move.
Alex Markham, the head of Cancer Research U.K. called the ban "the most important advance in public health for 50 years" since researchers linked smoking to lung cancer. Ben Youdan, of the group No Smoking Day, said, "Compromises can't be made when protecting people against a killer is at stake."
It's somethin realli good coz smokin the public will produce 2nd smokin of which is more harmful to the passers than the smokers themselves.
"ban smoking in public"
stupid title, keep it as it was "ban smoking in public places" i.e. bars, restaurants etc...
When a stupid title like "ban smoking in public" get's slapped on an article it makes it sound like their banning smoking outside your own property, which is a gross exageration. All the bars and pubs on my campus have banned smoking already.
Banning smoking in clubs isn't so good though, coz you can't nip outside for a smoke when you go to a club.
The ban on smoking in public places in Scotland comes into affect at the end of this March.
Same law has been passed in Cali 6-7 years ago and few other states in the US. Seems to work - even clubs are allocating outside smoking areas so you don't leave the premises, yet clubs still reak of reeferMajority of the divey bars don't enforce it, however I'm no longer used to having smoke cut my eyes so it takes some time to get used to. Making small talk with ladies became easier too - standing outside and waiting for the cab, some honey bums a cig at least once - I don't smoke but began carrying a pack of cigs just in case
Laws are stupid but they are needed since some people just don't take care of themselves at times. On my trip to Florida, we were fooling around with Cigars at local Hooters - we were in the smoking section with plenty of seats available in non. So some family with younglings in tow plops right next to our table.
I wonder how long it will be in the UK before we have to seek the permission of some government apparatchik with a heavy desk before we can have a sh1t in the morning
Good job. Best thing I ever did was quit.
Originally Posted by cut
"ban smoking in public"
stupid title, keep it as it was "ban smoking in public places" i.e. bars, restaurants etc...
When a stupid title like "ban smoking in public" get's slapped on an article it makes it sound like their banning smoking outside your own property, which is a gross exageration. All the bars and pubs on my campus have banned smoking already.
Banning smoking in clubs isn't so good though, coz you can't nip outside for a smoke when you go to a club.
Gross exagerations are nothing new. We muslims have had to put up for it ages now.
The effects of 2nd hand smoke are still an uncertain quantity. It's certainly not MORE harmful than smoking itself - that defies logic.
And why is eating food in a smoky environment so bad. There's no evidence that it is more dangerous than not eating food in a smoky environment
The whole thing is crock, more people from alcohol related diseases and accidents than from smoking, but what have they done about alchol
its already happened in canada & i like it. so now when i go home to england i can enjoy it in the pub there. thumbs up!
Untill drinking alcohol starts to harm others around you, i don't know why would the get involved.
Second hand smoke is more "lethal" than smoking yourself.
Not to mention eating where someone is smoking is absolutely disgusting! Cant stand it when f*ckers light up near us!
What this does show though is that the English parliament can actually get something right, even though they (in their usual customary way) almost f*cked it up completely!
Mailman
What took yiz so long, when they first talked about it in ireland i thought it would never happen, there would be outrage and it would kill the atmosphere in the pubs, on the contrary, the only change i notice now is when i go abroad and you find these "irish bars" with no smoking signs up all over the place and every fecker in the place smoking like a chimeny, i end up leaving and finding some place more friendly and not stinking of fags the next morning.
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