So, we went to the pub for lunch as usual...

Originally Posted by sarah

smoking hasn't been banned outright

Have you not heard?

Of course I mean in Public Places.

I heard last week on BBC five live one of the people behind the ban, a doctor, he said his next target will be too ban smoking inside the home if children are present.

My original complaint was pubs and that's what I'm sticking with. I don't care about anywhere else.

Grinch: Just make sure you don't do it indoors in a public or workplace (or even outside some workplaces that have outlawed it) You'll get fined.

Originally Posted by Steve H

Have you not heard?

Of course I mean in Public Places.

you can smoke outside on the street, that's a public place

Originally Posted by keithd

i see your point, but to be fair its not just a national thing, its international. paris is well under way to being entirely smoke free, San Fran is smoke free, as is much of NY i believe.

and its not like you CAN'T smoke. its just indoors in public areas.

Yeah, but I feel sorry for all those Cuban Virgin beauties that will no longer
have jobs rolling those Cigars on their thighs.
.........But I digress.

Originally Posted by Steve H

I like to feel that people have a choice. This seems to be getting less and less.
I agree generally that discouraging people from smoking can only be a good thing, but banning it outright is strange, bearing in mind this current Governments obsession with peoples Human Rights.

The last time I checked, smoking hadn't been banned outright. It's only banned in enclosed public places, which is a very good thing. In a couple of years time it will seem strange to us that smoking was ever allowed in pubs and restaurants. Does anyone here remember when smoking was allowed on tube trains? That was really horrible as every carriage would be full of stinking smoke. When it was banned, travelling became much more pleasant, just like drinking in pubs will be now.

HOORAY for the ban! I now dont have to go out and have a shower when I get home.
Ping, in South Africa, if restaurants/pubs want to allow smoking areas then they also need to provide totally seperate ventilation systems and the smoking area needs to be sealed so as not to allow ingress into non-smoking areas.
Also, less than 1/3 of the population in england smoke so I dont see why the vast majority must suffer the 'atmosphere' of the minority.

Originally Posted by sarah

you can smoke outside on the street, that's a public place

Well feel free to do so then.

OH for CRAPS sake! We KNOW where it's been banned already!

Stop nit-picking and read the WHOLE thread!

Originally Posted by wyrdness

The last time I checked, smoking hadn't been banned outright. It's only banned in enclosed public places, which is a very good thing. In a couple of years time it will seem strange to us that smoking was ever allowed in pubs and restaurants. Does anyone here remember when smoking was allowed on tube trains? That was really horrible as every carriage would be full of stinking smoke. When it was banned, travelling became much more pleasant, just like drinking in pubs will be now.

i agree. i think it does seem a bit weird now, but i'm sure it will feel less strange over time. i can't believe that when i started working here (nearly 7 years ago) people were allowed to smoke in their office.