Should Smoking in Public Be Banned?

[Lightworker]

Sorry if it has been done before but was just wondering what your thoughts on this are. I am regularly subjected to clouds of smoke even directly in my face and wonder if it would be better for people to smoke at home or in private. Also considering the dangers of 2nd hand smoke would a public ban be worth it?

 

[angelandbump]

I voted no but i need to explain why.

I am an ex-smoker and i can see where you are coming from. I hate walking out of asda with my baby into a cloud of smoke. They seem to smoke right next to the parent and child parking bays so i can not avoid it or i would.
I think instead of it being banned in public, there should be designated smoking areas as its their choice to smoke. If someone is caught smoking outside of these areas then i think on the spot fine would be fair.

 

[Kimmer]

I think it should be banned.. full stop.

 

[Serene123]

I don't smoke and I voted no. I think everyone is going a little bit OTT when it comes to smoking. I don't think it should be banned but I do think smokers should have common sense about it, too. Don't sit and smoke by doorways for instance....

 

[smokey]

I do smoke and I would actualy like to see it banned in public places.
I very rarely smoke out in public because I either have LO with me (I will not smoke anywhere near him or let him see me smoke) and I get very aware since having LO about other children passing near me if im smoking.

The only places I smoke is out on the balcony at home (which isnt often as I cant be bothered so much at home) in the garden at my mums or out back by the bin area at work.
If I do ever smoke out in public its normaly somewhere well out of the way of other people.
I was sat on a bench the other week feeding LO, I was the only person there untill this old guy came and sat down next to us with his wife and lite a ciggerette up I was just so fuming that I couldnt even think straight to have a go at him.


I cant stand people who smoke around door ways, people keep smoking outside the door that leads to the beer gaden at my work and it realy annoys me because the smoke still piles in where people are eating and people still have to walk in and out through it all, its a massive garden so why they cant go down the other end rather then stand in the way of the door is beyond me.
That being said though it also realy annoys me when you are standing out the way and someone walks past you tutting even though its a massive area and they realy didnt need to walk within 2 foot from you.

The problem most times is most people just do not have common sense, they assume because it isnt banned and they are outside that they are free to blow their smoke anyway they wish, if more people had common sense then things wouldnt need to be banned because they would be free to do more things whilst taking responability

 

[freckleonear]

Yes, smoking in public harms others who have no choice about it. Designated smoking places would be fine, as everyone there would obviously have made a choice to take the risks.

 

[Lightworker]

TBH I just feel its so unfair that they are allowed to harm others by their smoke. I do like the idea of designated smoking areas as then people can go in and smoke and then come out.

 

[Nibblenic]

I dont smoke and voted yes

Ideally what I woul like to see is the legal age of smoking increased every year by 1 year so that no further generations can ever legally smoke.

I hate walking through cloads of smoke I also hate when people trow tabs out of thier car and it ends up in your ventalation system

I also have the urge to shoot anyone who I see smoking next to children especially under 1s

 

[Lightworker]

I dont smoke and voted yes

Ideally what I woul like to see is the legal age of smoking
I also have the urge to shoot anyone who I see smoking next to children especially under 1s

So weird the other day I saw a pregnant lady smoking and I was thinking such people should be shot on sight! I know they have reasons but this is a tough one for me to understand. Also liking the idea of gradually phasing it out via age restrictions

 

[redpoppy]

I don't smoke and I voted no. I think everyone is going a little bit OTT when it comes to smoking. I don't think it should be banned but I do think smokers should have common sense about it, too. Don't sit and smoke by doorways for instance....

I agree with this. I assume you're talking about extending it beyond what the ban is now. I am not a tobacco smoker and never have been and I HATE hate HATE the smell and the habit (except in old hollywood movies ) but I do think people have gone a little OTT about it. I LOVE and will defend the smoking ban in the UK (or any other place) as it stands now but I do think that extending it is excessive. I do think that smokers are in a minority and as such a few breaths of smoke in my life isn't an infraction of any of my rights. Walking down a street or whatever for example. I imagine if I was that paranoid I'd have to move out of London and go live in some leafy village.

 

[Kimmer]

I dont smoke and voted yes

Ideally what I woul like to see is the legal age of smoking
I also have the urge to shoot anyone who I see smoking next to children especially under 1s

So weird the other day I saw a pregnant lady smoking and I was thinking such people should be shot on sight! I know they have reasons but this is a tough one for me to understand.[/B] Also liking the idea of gradually phasing it out via age restrictions

Completely agree!

 

[Sarahkka]

I hate smoking and really resent smelling it anywhere ever.
That may be a little extreme, but it's honest!

 

[rubixcyoob.]

No.

The reason I voted no was for a few reasons.
Firstly, I feel as if people have become so so paranoid about the fumes from smoke that they just jump down the throats of everyone who does it in public - not everyone, but some have this attitude. They warn about the health risks and passive smoking. However, everyday there are people who need to go out and be faced with things dangerous to their health because others do it. My younger sister has bad asthma and can be affected by car fumes, should she complain and say that people should use their cars less as it damages her health? No.
It is unfair to make it illegal to smoke in public because of risks or people not agreeing, it happens in all walks of life but this is how it is.

Secondly, the minute the government tried to enforce such a law their would be chaos. How many people do you think will take something such as banning smoking in public lying down? When you mess with people's lives in such a way you start to become a dictatorship instead of a democracy. You cannot have a democratic government who wishes to impose a law to make smoking in public illegal. That isn't democratic. That is taking the views and desires of some people and putting them before that of others.

Thirdly, where do you draw the line at public?
You may say that your back garden/front garden/balcony is not public but if members of the public can use such spaces to walk across etc. then surely it becomes public space because it is known as a public right of way/public right of access.
Soon it will just be smoking in your own home if no one there objects.

I do agree people who smoke need to have courtesy for others, but it is the same with people with loud music, who are drunk, talking on the phone etc. no one wants to be around it in public. Common courtesy and designated smoking areas are a yes though.

 

[TattiesMum]

No.

The reason I voted no was for a few reasons.
Firstly, I feel as if people have become so so paranoid about the fumes from smoke that they just jump down the throats of everyone who does it in public - not everyone, but some have this attitude. They warn about the health risks and passive smoking. However, everyday there are people who need to go out and be faced with things dangerous to their health because others do it. My younger sister has bad asthma and can be affected by car fumes, should she complain and say that people should use their cars less as it damages her health? No.
It is unfair to make it illegal to smoke in public because of risks or people not agreeing, it happens in all walks of life but this is how it is.

Secondly, the minute the government tried to enforce such a law their would be chaos. How many people do you think will take something such as banning smoking in public lying down? When you mess with people's lives in such a way you start to become a dictatorship instead of a democracy. You cannot have a democratic government who wishes to impose a law to make smoking in public illegal. That isn't democratic. That is taking the views and desires of some people and putting them before that of others.

Thirdly, where do you draw the line at public?
You may say that your back garden/front garden/balcony is not public but if members of the public can use such spaces to walk across etc. then surely it becomes public space because it is known as a public right of way/public right of access.
Soon it will just be smoking in your own home if no one there objects.

I do agree people who smoke need to have courtesy for others, but it is the same with people with loud music, who are drunk, talking on the phone etc. no one wants to be around it in public. Common courtesy and designated smoking areas are a yes though.

Yes on all counts! and particularly the bit in bold ....

I have a car but use it only once a week on average, when I go grocery shopping... everywhere else I walk or use public transport. Car fumes make me feel violently sick and are a health hazard, yet I don't wish cars to be banned

Alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs around - it causes a huge, huge drain on the NHS and directly affects others in just about every area of life - from drink driving, drunken violence to diverting emergency services from life and death situations Now I don't drink but would it be fair for me to insist that no-one else does either?

I think we've all become a bit OTT about smokers to be honest and people do need to remember that tobacco taxation brings in far, far more revenue than it costs in terms of healthcare etc .... without it we would all be paying more taxes than ever - the Gov't simply cannot afford to ban it completely ... which is, of course, why they haven't and wont

 

[Lightworker]

How would banning smoking in public be undemocratic if we could show that a significant amount of the population support the ban? I wouldn't compare using a car to smoking because some people have no other means of transport etc whereas smoking is really not crucial to anyones life. I don't agree with a smoking ban being OTT because how can you be OTT when smoking and cancer are inextricably linked? Its like saying "im willing to get cancer just so you can enjoy your cigarette"

 

[TattiesMum]

How would banning smoking in public be undemocratic if we could show that a significant amount of the population support the ban? I wouldn't compare using a car to smoking because some people have no other means of transport etc whereas smoking is really not crucial to anyones life. I don't agree with a smoking ban being OTT because how can you be OTT when smoking and cancer are inextricably linked? Its like saying "im willing to get cancer just so you can enjoy your cigarette"

Or me saying I'm willing to get run over by a drunk driver or die waiting in A&E while drunks are attended to just so that you can enjoy your glass of wine" ?

OK - I'm being more than a bit flippant there and I DO agree that smokers should be considerate about where they smoke and that pubs, workplaces etc should be made to have designated smoking areas that others have no need to go into, through or walk past.

 

[rubixcyoob.]

How would banning smoking in public be undemocratic if we could show that a significant amount of the population support the ban? I wouldn't compare using a car to smoking because some people have no other means of transport etc whereas smoking is really not crucial to anyones life. I don't agree with a smoking ban being OTT because how can you be OTT when smoking and cancer are inextricably linked? Its like saying "im willing to get cancer just so you can enjoy your cigarette"

It would be undemocratic because, looking at this thread, the majority of people do not believe it should be banned. If a banned were introduced for the minority it would be undemocratic.
Also, in the European Convention of Human Rights, Article 8 talks about privacy of ones life and home life. If we were to introduce a ban on smoking in public you are infringing this Article because we interfering with the privacy of one's life. Smoking is not a public danger or a threat to national security, therefore we cannot interfere with people doing it.

I wasn't comparing using a car to smoking, I was showing how car fumes are as dangerous to my sister as smoke is to the next person. I would do that with anything. Should I ask penicillin to be banned from all medication because I am allergic? No.
If smoking bothers people so much take an extra couple of minutes and find a route around the smoke. No one makes you stand in a crowd of smoke, no one makes you go near a smoker. People should just man up, and if it bothers them that much, avoid it.

 

[AppleBlossom]

No I don't. I think it's silly that they stopped people smoking in pubs/clubs (or indoors in general but pubs and clubs are the main place for smokers) If people choose to go to the pub then they should be willing to put up with smokers. Why should the smokers be kicked out on the streets for passers by to have to walk past and get a full intake of their smoke? I don't smoke and I hate getting a nostril full of it if I'm in town shopping and happened to walk past a Wetherspoons. I don't think it should be banned in public though, otherwise smokers would never be able to go out. I think the country is going a bit mad. I think they should have indoor designated smoking areas so me and my daughter have to walk past clouds of smoke

 

[Ilovehim89]

My dad smokes and my step mom smokes but i dont...I do not like smelling the smoke or waking up with a sore throat because I was near smoke. My son has what they call "infant wheezing" they do not call it asthma here til age 5, smoke bothers him. A part of me wants to say YES ban it, but a part of me says NO..I think Designated smoking areas are a good idea....they have designated smoking areas at theme parks, hospitals, etc. Why not just Everywhere so people who DO NOT want to be around smoke have the choice?
people who dont smoke have no choice in whether they are exposed to the secondhand smoking?? I am not saying anything bad about smokers because like i said, my step mom and dad smoke...and my DH USED to smoke b4 we got together. All I am saying is WE should have a choice whether we are exposed to smoking or not, NOT "Oh Looks like i am going to be exposed to smoke today because i have to go into town to get a few things *sigh*"
just my honest opinion

 

[Lightworker]

The rights embodied in the Human Rights Act are not absolute and can be clawed back in the interest of national health and TBH I cannot imagine how Article 8, which protects the right to family life and privacy can be construed to encompass smoking in public. Really I cannot imagine how, although Id be happy tto stand corrected.