People power, smokeless sheffield

[Roebuck]

I recently came back from Belgium after few days relaxation in Oostende, on January 1st 2007 the Smoking ban arrived in Belgium to a great deal of controversy.

 

It is not only our local councils and National government introducing Anti-Smoking measures, it is taking place in most of the developed world, We are not alone in the feeling that goverments are creating a nanny-state culture which is bringing a great deal of issues which would be thought as unrelated, but cause massive shifts in the commercial aspects of society.

 

I have spent many happy times in Belgium with friends who live there, I was surprised that views in Belgium were that the Belgian Government were forcing UK style pubs to become more popular in Oostende, Belgium ( I presume also in other parts as well )

 

Belgium has a Cafe Culture it is now illegal to smoke in any establishment which serves food, this has created a new rush of UK style pubs opening which only serve drinks and no food so customers who wish to smoke whilst having a drink may do so, in the 1st week of January 2 pubs opened in Oostende, Belgium

 

Where the UK is sliding more toward the cafe culture, the continent is creeping toward UK style pubs, its a crazy world we live in, aint it!

[neeeeeeeeeek]

Looks like your on your own Pook.

[cgksheff]

People Power?

 

More likely apathy to stand against bureaucracy!

[Roebuck]

I realy worry about the anti-smoking people, what will they do once smoking has been banned ? The number of posts on the forum will probably drop by 75%.

 

They will probably start an anti-flatulence campaign, 1st ban will take place in Cinema's, then Resturants and pubs, issuing Flatulence Ticket costing £50to anyone breaches the odour regulations, maybe a sliding scale based upon the potency of the offending odour.

[Greybeard]

Right, so if enough people kick up a fuss, we can get bus lanes, parking restrictions, traffic lights, speed cameras, cycle paths and countless other things done to our streets.

Now, could that same logic be used to turn a public street into a smoke-free zone?

if enough people say they want it, can it be done? Places like the peace gardens, sharrowvale road, eccy road etc

 

About time this forum became a troll-free zone, - especially on the topics of smoking, muslims, bus-drivers, chavs etc. etc.

[Strix]

I'm with Pook

 

The number of times I've had a fag waved dangerously close to my face by some git who is far more interested in doing that supposed-to-be-cool waft-it-over-your-shoulder thing in a crowded space

 

and how many kids get the same thing from people carelessly lugging their butt on the end of a limp arm?

 

I'd support a ban in specific areas where not smoking is beyond some people's common sense

[leltom]

Banning smoking in public places is reasonable. Banning smoking in outside places however is not. It's an extreme view and agree that it'd only be enforced when smoking is banned altogether.

 

The main argument to smoking being banned in public places was the health risks inposed by second hand smoke. That argument doesn't have the same strength when talking about outside places.