Wilfrid1 Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 I just caught a bit of news today about an indoor smoking ban set to take effect in England (apparently the various hinterlands have it already - Wales, Scotland...they didn't mention the Isle of Man). Does this apply to restaurants and bars? Any exceptions? What's the public mood? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
balex Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Yes, it applies to pubs and so on. I am quite looking forward to it, as one of the things keeping me out of pubs is that my clothes stink of smoke afterwards. Still, I rather object to it being imposed like this; the justification is as always passive smoking but the real target is first hand smoking. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
macrosan Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 I just caught a bit of news today about an indoor smoking ban set to take effect in England (apparently the various hinterlands have it already - Wales, Scotland...they didn't mention the Isle of Man). Does this apply to restaurants and bars? Any exceptions? What's the public mood? It applies to all enclosed public spaces, so onviously all restaurants, cafes, bars etc The mood seems remarkably relaxed; it's been accepted with a shrug of inevitability, and I suspect very many smokers are relieved to be forced to try to quit smoking. Unfortunately sales of nicotine replacement drugs will soar. At some stage I guess many hardened smokers will discover that they are not helping them to quit but just increasing their addiction to a much more expensive product. There may then be a backlash, but I hope not. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Behemoth Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 I think Germany is supposed to have a ban in place starting in September. I am really looking forward to it, to say the least. For all the crazy hypochondriac obsessions they have here, most of them smoke like chimneys. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
g.johnson Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 I'm usually not too bothered by smokers in bars and restaurants but for some reason (lack of ventilation, unwillingness to decorate, superficial cleaning) pubs are pretty horrendous so I'm pro-ban. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wilfrid1 Posted June 28, 2007 Author Share Posted June 28, 2007 It's very hard to go back to London from a non-smoking city like New York and be as indifferent to smoking in bars as I used to be. I found it particularly hard to accept smoking in decent restaurants on previous visits. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
balex Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 I find my tolerance has gradually been reducing. It used not to bother me very much. But as the amount of smoke reduces, sitting next to a group of smokers becomes much more noticeably annoying. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mongo_jones Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 you people should try going to restaurants in india. as i've mentioned many times before, in delhi asking for the non-smoking section will likely result in a "no-smoking" sign being placed on your table, while everyone around you puffs away. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
balex Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 In Italy, they used to dot the non-smoking signs on the tables in a checkerboard pattern. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bloviatrix Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 When NY introduced its No Smoking Ban, Joe Jackson wrote an Op-Ed piece about why he was planning to move back to the UK. If they're doing it there as well, I wonder where he'll go. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
macrosan Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 When NY introduced its No Smoking Ban, Joe Jackson wrote an Op-Ed piece about why he was planning to move back to the UK. If they're doing it there as well, I wonder where he'll go. I could recommend Spain or Greece. I believe that Spain introduced a smoking ban (which is being pushed very hard by the EU), then immediately quashed it in the face of protests; most experts are backing them to be the one European country that resists a ban forever. Greece has the highest number of smoking doctors in Europe (it's trivia time, folks!) and will probably be the runner-up to Spain. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nuxvomica Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 i was actually surprised to see calabrian thugs go outside to have a smoke. it used to be that italians would smoke in hospitals in front (and under) "Non fumare" signs. HA! i have to say, i'm all for smoking bans - even though i've been know to light up every now and then in social situations - as balex said the smell of your clotes, hair...ugh. now, it seems that in every city where smaking was banned, there were protests and concerns over places losing business - it's usually the opposite. i'm not for the gov telling you what to do - unless what you do affects others the way smoking does. simply inconsiderate. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Liza Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 The initiative was started by the bartenders in Ireland, and has been enforced for at least two years. Business has definitely declined in pubs but I'm that's about as much as I know. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rail Paul Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 The initiative was started by the bartenders in Ireland, and has been enforced for at least two years. Business has definitely declined in pubs but I'm that's about as much as I know. The BBC reported in 2004 that there was some acceptance of the Irish smoking ban. The Irish law exempts mental hospitals from the indoor smoking rules, though. The Irish Republic has hailed a smoking ban as a success, with 97% of inspected premises complying with the law. A report on the workplace ban, by the Office of Tobacco Control (OTC), found one in five smokers now choose not to smoke at all on a night out. Since the ban was imposed on March 29, 96% of pubs and restaurants have complied - with 89% displaying the required no smoking signs. The report also found more non-smokers were now venturing out to the pub. Health minister Michael Martin welcomed the report saying: "The successful introduction of the new measure reflects the widespread public support and goodwill that exists for a healthy smoke-free environment in the workplace." BBC Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nuxvomica Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 i was in Ireland last summer and heard no grumbling at all - i actually expected to hear and see some! here's an interesting thing about smokers -most i know always book non-smoking cars on trains in europe (yeah, they complain about the smell) and some don't let others smoke in their homes, so go figure Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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