Should Smoking in Public Be Banned?

[Lightworker]

I feel every thread I start should have that as my initial post- that I am not some severe, hateful individual. I do appreciate that diplomacy is not my strongsuit but I do work on it but I honestly find that diplomacy itself is very subjective and just wish people would not be so quick to react negatively to what they perceive the tone of a post to be. I wish we could just get on with the subject matter and overlook the rest because ultimately, we are all different and this will reflect our choice of words

 

[Laura2919]

I think its been said a lot about sometimes posts coming across wrongly. Its because we read them differently, maybe as if we had written them and its hard.
There is no tone of voice and no actions so its pretty open to be judged. I am guilty of this as are many.

 

[Lightworker]

Yeah I am guilty if it too and I need to learn to not assume the worst of the person, as I have done in the past eg even with one of Rubycooob's post, I assumed the worst. I just tell myself we are all inherently nice people with differing opinions not meant to deliberately offend or attack anyone.

 

[Laura2919]

Its hard not to sometimes but then like I said we dont know what the other person meant thats why sometimes debates are really a good idea on forums, its different when your face to face.

 

[PeanutBean]

Come now redpoppy, I expect more from you than to selectively read a post. You know full well I said they're not really comparable for exactly the reasons you mentioned, just that they are slightly more so than the entirely incomparable smoking and driving.

 

[Lightworker]

Has anyone heard of the smokeless cigarettes? Cant remember what they are called but used in places like Amsterdam I think

 

[TattiesMum]

Actually on the whole I think that those of use who use the News and Debating bit are pretty good about not taking things personally and keeping things humerous a lot of the time

I really enjoy a good debate - the whole point is to spar verbally and make your point ... but without letting it descend into personal attack and I think we do that well on here

I wouldn't dare start a debate in Baby Club LOL ... It's far too easy to upset someone in there without meaning to and there is no point in a debate where you have to tread on eggshells whereas in here we know better than to take things too personally and have hides tough enough to take it.... Kind of like we come into the kitchen because we can stand the heat

 

[PeanutBean]

I agree. When I've enough time the debate area is my favourite section. I think my favourite thing about it is it challenges me to understand and justify my own opinions. Often we have opinions but they are not well formed and don't stand up to the test. But I've not been disappointed yet and even where I've had to justify them I've found they still hold water for my belief system iyswim. I enjoy the devil's advocate nature and being able to explore things that probably won't ever happen (like this thread) just for the sake of exploring mine and others' social ideals.

 

[smokey]

Actually on the whole I think that those of use who use the News and Debating bit are pretty good about not taking things personally and keeping things humerous a lot of the time

I really enjoy a good debate - the whole point is to spar verbally and make your point ... but without letting it descend into personal attack and I think we do that well on here

I wouldn't dare start a debate in Baby Club LOL ... It's far too easy to upset someone in there without meaning to and there is no point in a debate where you have to tread on eggshells whereas in here we know better than to take things too personally and have hides tough enough to take it.... Kind of like we come into the kitchen because we can stand the heat

Sometimes its not even wise to start a thread let alone a debate

 

[TattiesMum]

Actually on the whole I think that those of use who use the News and Debating bit are pretty good about not taking things personally and keeping things humerous a lot of the time

I really enjoy a good debate - the whole point is to spar verbally and make your point ... but without letting it descend into personal attack and I think we do that well on here

I wouldn't dare start a debate in Baby Club LOL ... It's far too easy to upset someone in there without meaning to and there is no point in a debate where you have to tread on eggshells whereas in here we know better than to take things too personally and have hides tough enough to take it.... Kind of like we come into the kitchen because we can stand the heat

Sometimes its not even wise to start a thread let alone a debate

LOL!

Yes me too PB - I enjoy the intellectual sparring element and my opinions being challenged ... it's not a personal attack and it makes me really think about why I hold the views that I do - and sometimes makes me re-think them too

 

[PeanutBean]

Yes me too PB - I enjoy the intellectual sparring element and my opinions being challenged ... it's not a personal attack and it makes me really think about why I hold the views that I do - and sometimes makes me re-think them too

But not often!

 

[TattiesMum]

Yes me too PB - I enjoy the intellectual sparring element and my opinions being challenged ... it's not a personal attack and it makes me really think about why I hold the views that I do - and sometimes makes me re-think them too

But not often!

Well no

 

[SKATERBUN]

I agree. When I've enough time the debate area is my favourite section. I think my favourite thing about it is it challenges me to understand and justify my own opinions. Often we have opinions but they are not well formed and don't stand up to the test. But I've not been disappointed yet and even where I've had to justify them I've found they still hold water for my belief system iyswim. I enjoy the devil's advocate nature and being able to explore things that probably won't ever happen (like this thread) just for the sake of exploring mine and others' social ideals.

me too, half the time I neither agree or disagree, but its the finding out why people believe the things they do is what interests me, challenging their ideas rather than dismissing them.

Oh, and in debates, i see we dont have to resort to goats to calm things down
sorry to mention it again after the baby club fiasco sore subject lol

 

[redpoppy]

Yes me too PB - I enjoy the intellectual sparring element and my opinions being challenged ... it's not a personal attack and it makes me really think about why I hold the views that I do - and sometimes makes me re-think them too

But not often!

Well no

Yeah I love the debate section but I don't think I've ever been really convinced to change my mind although I've probably tweaked my own opinions into perfection *ahem*. I just sit around thinking "hasn't everyone changed their mind yet!?!?!" Because I'm pretty sure I know I'm always right.

So I'll just chalk this one as another debate I've "won" then shall I? Off to bed with that pleasant thought before anyone comes in to muddy the waters.

 

[BlackBerry25]

Here you cannot smoke in a public place, or in a car with a minor, or so many meters near a public place. Hospitals, etc have smoking bans on the whole property (Which ARE NOT ENFORCED...baffles my mind)

It seems to work here. I think less people are smoking in Canada now (cigarettes that is lol) and any smokers I know haven't really complained, other than the no smoking in bars. I like it though. I used to smoke socially, but now I don't since you can't smoke in bars. I think its better for society in general.

 

[Nibblenic]

Here you cant smoke in:

Any building. Be it work/retial/resurant
Hospital car parks
Youre not meant to smoke in Taxis or work vechiles (not enforced)
No structure enclosed by 3 sides ie a bus stop
School grounds
Some theme parks and public grounds (there are designated areas)

I think thats it?

 

[smokey]

I agree. When I've enough time the debate area is my favourite section. I think my favourite thing about it is it challenges me to understand and justify my own opinions. Often we have opinions but they are not well formed and don't stand up to the test. But I've not been disappointed yet and even where I've had to justify them I've found they still hold water for my belief system iyswim. I enjoy the devil's advocate nature and being able to explore things that probably won't ever happen (like this thread) just for the sake of exploring mine and others' social ideals.

me too, half the time I neither agree or disagree, but its the finding out why people believe the things they do is what interests me, challenging their ideas rather than dismissing them.

Oh, and in debates, i see we dont have to resort to goats to calm things down
sorry to mention it again after the baby club fiasco sore subject lol

Shhhhh the goats might be listening and lurking, waiting to pounce

 

[Lightworker]

I was gonna say please don't mention g**ts as they have an uncanny ability to seek out threads in which they have been mentioned and descend on them.

 

[redpoppy]

AW maaaaan! I obviously missed some goat shenanigans. I HATE missing goat shenanigans!!!!

 

[twinkle1975]

I did vote yes but it is a totally personal opinion which I hold for a variety of reasons -
I have asthma & smoke starts me wheezing like an old man
I miss eating out in the beer garden at our local pub which has become the unofficial smoking zone - I appreciate that it is 'the open air' but its still not nice when smoke drifts in clouds around you while you're eating
I live in a block of 9 flats & a couple who smoke have just moved in upstairs - we're not allowed to smoke inside so they go outside and smoke and then flip their tabs on the floor - there were at least a hundred on the grass earlier in the week. I put a notice up to ask people not to throw their cigarette ends on the floor as no one comes to clean them up & they've ignored me since. The rubbish is one of the things that annoys me most - I eat chocolate & takeaways but would never dream of throwing my litter on the floor - why do many smokers think its ok to do it??