General Chat

Can I just say I don't hate cats ... just wish the local ones would leave the poor birds alone and stop harassing my frogs !! Jeanette .... your not the devil incarnate honey !! We're all allowed our opinions. I'm lucky smoking has never done anything for me and for me its never been an issue. Clare.xx

Hi Clare, I don't drive yet my health is adversely affected by the exhaust fumes belched out by others. Should we also ban cars? I haven't flown in years - those who do are adding to global warming and may be giving me skin cancer - do we ban people from flying? Where do you stop? Gwynne

BC I would never have thought in Ireland with its Pub Culture and many of the people's slight rebel stance that the smoking ban would not only work but would change the Country completely. Ireland was not known for its Beer Gardens or attractive outside drinking areas now it's different with coffee shops, Pubs and Bars all providing decent outside areas the place has had a complete facelift and its terrific. I smoked all my adult life, but I hated people who smoked ready made cigarettes and would be so inconsiderate as to blow smoke either in your face or your direction, infact ready mades stink far more and are much worse for your than rolling your own ciggies. I thought it was wrong to ban smoking yet have them so easily obtainable in sweet shops, I also thought it unfair that smokers are so heavily taxed yet they are treated so harshly as not be able to smoke anywhere. But incredibly banning smoking in public places works and its been brilliant turnaround places are not quieter the tills are still ringing as much as they ever did there are a lot more people sitting out and enjoying the night air in the summer who never would have been able to do so before Pubs were forced to protect their profits by providing a service, the Government in bringing the Ban in forced them to act and they did and there is no going back to the smoke and closed spaces of old ever again and I am delighted. Eventually it will happen all over Europe. Pat x

My local has gone back to having a smoking room. If I want to sit with friends who smoke then I make the choice to sit with them in there. But its my choice !! I would never force a teetotaler to drink, so why should I be forced to breath other peoples smoke ? I have to admit its a difficult conundrum. Like people have said what constitues a PUBLIC PLACE. Cinemas and theaters already ban smoking but I can't see how a ban on smoking could be enforced on our streets or in our parks. Clare.x

Jeanette, I may not smoke or be keen on cats, but I think you're great and I'd like you, no matter what! Pat, I'm not surprised to hear you say that. I and lots of other people would go to pubs and restaurants far more often if I didn't have to sit in a roomful of smoke. --- My 50th birthday dinner was ruined because a man at a nearby table chain-smoked all throught our meal. I left the restaurant with streaming eyes and a blocked nose, and I had a cough for days afterwards - smoke affects me badly. It's not something I can help. I wish it was. As I said before, I don't want to infringe people's freedom, I would just prefer my own not to be curtailed by other people smoking, but that's just my hard luck. I've lived with it for so long, I'm used to it. I can always move away from smokers, but on my 50th, my husband had booked a table at a very good restaurant as a special treat, and I could hardly leave him and my guests and go and sit in the car to avoid that man's smoke. The place was packed and there were no spare tables to move to. I just had to put up with it. If he hadn't left before I'd finished my meal, I'd have told him he'd ruined my evening. CB >|<

Hi Clare good debate, i have been a smoker all my adult life tried to give up but as yet not been sucessfull. I really do believe it should be stopped werever meals are being served and were children are i have never smoked in front of my granchildren and never would. However with the income the gov get from us smokers i really think we should have a little more consideration and a lot more help to give up if we choose.If i was addicted to hard drugs there would be people falling over themselves to help me if i asked for it.Gill

Smoking should be banned and tobacco made illegal. Mind you if that happens Gordon Brown gets less revenue and I will end up paying more tax, so keep tobacco legal.

Being a smoker I would like to see non-smoking rooms and smoking rooms in the same establishment - equal rights for all. The smoking room ideally would also be well ventilated (although I smoke I don't like fogs of it).

Well said Roxanne. Totally agree with you.

Tobacco and Heroin are both highly addictive and they both kill. Apart from one is legal and the other is not. what is the difference.

Eddie, my brother was killed by carbon monoxide poisoning.

Roxanne I agree with you totally its obvious we are dying more through what is being done to our Environment and our food than the effects of smoking or passive smoking for that matter its too simplisitic to blame smokers and smoking for so many health problems. I would never attempt to tell a smoker not to smoke, I am not one of these reformed smokers. But being realistic the smoking ban is going to become European law eventually, whether we like it or not, its just a matter of time. Pat x Forgot to say I don't drive a Car, wish others would think about walking more than driving, like my hubby lol.

Roxanne I have to admit I do own a car but tend not to drive unless I have to. Mainly because I'm a crap driver and don't enjoy driving one bit. We live 10 minutes from school and it makes me so cross that my next door neighbour takes her kids to school in her 4x4. Katie and I ride most days. Even when its raining I make her put her wellies on and her waterproofs ..... horrid Mum aren't I. I agree with you about the rise in Asthma .... think pollution is now a major issue in this country. Clare.xx

Maybe one reason why the rise in asthma is because most of our parents smoked.

Why do some people blame everything on smoking ? Lets open our eyes a bit please. Even going to my doctors with a sprained ankle, as soon as I hobbled through the door I got asked if I was a smoker!!!

Trish - a friend of mine had to go to a Clinic for a minor STD (sorry lol) and the Doctor was more concerned about their smoking habits and severly admonished them, asking at each visit had they given up - where's the relevance there??? lol

Hi Anne, it's crazy isn't it? Though I know for a fact that my doctor smokes - I've seen him!! LOL When my daughter was involved in a road accident and broke her elbow she was asked if she smoked!! ! She doesn't but I must admit that it would be very hard on a bicycle. (A car drove into the side of her - ouch).

This is my opinion. I smoke, but my partner is very much against it as he doesnt smoke. I dont smoke at work which doesnt bother me, I dont smoke in my house either I go in the shed. When Im out with friends who are nearly all non smokers I always ask do they mind if I smoke, I dont smoke when people are eating. I very rarely drink alcohol as I work a full 7 days (I have 2 jobs, 1 full time and 1 part time). By all means ban smoking in public places but then when I go into a pub or restaurant I dont want kids running round screaming while I am drinking or eating. So ban kids from pubs and restaurants. Not all smokers, smoke 40 or 100 a day. So dont tar all smokers with the same brush. That is my Opinion. Thank you regards Yvonne

PMSL Anne - I had no idea that smoking was linked to STDs. Must book myself in at the local clap clinic lol. I agree with Gwynne, Yvonne, Roxanne, & Trish:) If we are banning smoking in public places, let's ban cars, lorries, buses, mobile phones, planes, white bread & alchohol (well maybe not alcohol). Yvonne's right about screaming naughty kids in restaurants who cause irritation leading to stress leading to high blood pressure and so on.

David pmsl - have I been doing something wrong all these years ??? I'm partly in agreement on the 'screaming kids' issue - but then I don't have children, so am probably less tolerant of them than one who does. It all boils down to the same theory tho ............ smoker - non smoker driver - non driver parent - non parent We can go on all day finding issues with something or other. I have to say tho - this has got me thinking alot about my own smoking habits - and I have decided when this lot are gone - that's it!! For good :O)