Brighton - The First Smoke-Free City?

[Captain Sensible]

Will never happen as it isn't the council that want it, it is some little pressure group with nothing better to do. Anyone been to New York or Dublin recently? Well the Irish take no notice of the ban as whoever does has an empty pub, and the Yanks bar and club scene has taken a major dive, especially in winter. California hasn't really got proper pubs and the climate is such that people aren't bothered to go outside. No drinking in the street or smoking in public? Will Brighton be the first UK City to resemble the USSR? Well the streets would be cleaner! Anyway, won't happen, the City takes millions from the livey pub and club scene. As I said won't happen as it's just a whim, see http://thisisbrightonandhove.co.uk/brighton__hove/archive/2003/08/12/NEWS200ZM.html

 

[Captain Sensible]

I mean,

Yesterday's Argus

 

[Gwylan]

Though I agree that a smoking ban is OTT, this argument always winds me up. There is no comparison between car fumes & smoking. Cars are essential in the modern day, and 99% of the population use them.

Quite right, there is no comparison: cars cause much more damage to the environment than smoking.

And on latest government figures, only about 60 percent of households have a car - barely over half the population. Scarcely 'essential' for modern use.

BTW, I'm not advocating a ban on cars. As with smoking, we should look closely at our needs and the damage caused to other people and look at discouraging their use.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

I stand by my point that cars are essential. Smoking isn't. I'm not advocating a ban on smoking either, but the two are not comparable. It just confuses the debate

 

[Braders]

good i'm fed up of going round town smoke blown in my face feeling like shit from it !

 

[elbowpatches]

Good idea, may help me decide to give up smoking finally. But living in Cambridge it'll make no difference. There are a few non-smoking pubs up here and I have found a packet of cigs lasts longer cos I can't be arsed to get up and go outside. Non-smoking in restaurants is a great idea.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Completely agree with the sentiments about cars. How often do you ask a person to stop driving their car when you breathe in their exhaust fumes?? Never.

The argument about smoking not being essential is a good one but i can't see how it would be resolved.

 

[Storer68]

What I find interesting is that the credit (or blame) for this bit of kite-flying is being given to the elected politicians of the City Council.

In fact it's NOT the City Council that came up with this idea, but the (unelected) health authority - who have an obvious health agenda to pursue.

But this is no more significant than any other piece of self-interested lobbying. They've just chosen to focus their campaign on a particular place.

)

True, but they are following a policy with pretty challenging targets set by the Department of Health, following on from two white papers, one called "Smoking Kills", (so I think we can safely say that they are not going to accept the "freedom of choice" argument on this one very much)

If yoiu want to read the strategy paper, it is here Smoking cessation strategy for Brighton and Hove

and given how much the NHS spends on treating smoking related conditions (and I have recently lost friends to lung cancer as a direct result of their smoking) I don't see a problem with a Health Authority (who has to foot the bill) trying to stop people inflicting these conditions on themselves, by promoting the cessation of smoking through either voluntary or area control means.

Unless the NHS is bottomless pit of money (which it isn't) then priorities are always going to be set. So the need to control expensiture can either be done by trying to get people at risk to eliminate the risk from their lives ie stopo smoking), prioritising treatments based on need (which is very difficult to control) or based on infliction (along the lines of..... lung cancer for smokers is a self inflicted condition about which they have been constantly warned but they have develpped lung cancer and as they have ignored the warnings about the results of smoking by carrying on smoking, their treatment priority should be lower than those of other, non self inflicted, conditions. And that in my book is even worse.

 

[Cian]

Well the Irish take no notice of the ban as whoever does has an empty pub74

Ahem, I'd guess thats because the bans not in force yet...

It comes in on January 1st next year and it bans smoking in ALL workplaces all over the country. Even prisoners are not going to be allowed smoke, because the prison is a workplace for the guars....

 

[ripper]

Nanny State Bollocks.

Why is the no smoking area in The George on Trafalgar street nearly always empty whereas the you can't get a seat in the rest of the pub.

I agree that non smokers should not be forced to breath other peoples smoke, but I also believe that landlords should not be forced into banning smoking in their establishments if they do not want to.

 

[Row Z Creased Shirt]

Personally I would have no problem with smoke free pubs. It would probably encourage me to visit them more often. Whilst i agree that ban would be draconian, it would be nice to be able to have night out with out having to choke on other peoples smoke and get home without my hair and clothes stinking like an ashtray. I'm all for freedoom of choice but you could turn the liberty argument around and say that smokers are imposing the effects of their habits on others.

And as for smoking in restaurants, well what is the point of paying for good food when all you can taste is stale tobacco?

 

[Storer68]

I'm just not in favour of people paying to kill themselves and then expecting the NHS to try and bail them out at a huge costs.

the best solution would have been not to smoke in the first place.

Its the same argument for banning drinking and driving, and i can't imagine that anyone nowadays thinks that that is a good idea or that not being able to drive home after about 10 pints is an infringement of their personal liberty.

 

[Marc]

In My Opinion:

This would suck, all us non-smokers will be sitting in pubs on our own cos all our friends who do smoke will be elsewhere!
I'm all for banning smoking in restaurants or eating areas as I detest smokers smoking right next to me when I'm eating, as for pubs...no way!

 

[JEM]

I'm just not in favour of people paying to kill themselves and then expecting the NHS to try and bail them out at a huge costs.

the best solution would have been not to smoke in the first place.

You forget that without smokers money there would be no NHS. The money gleaned from joe public for the NHS is nowhere near enough to cover health expenses. So the cash taxed on cigarettes contributes a massive amount towards making the NHS run. So they've paid for their treatment already.

Would you apply the same criteria to alcoholics? Or AIDS patients? Or drivers injured through speeding? Or obese people treated for heart disease? Or sports injuries? The NHS pays for all of these and more. And they're nearly all self inflicted.

 

[Captain Sensible]

In My Opinion:

This would suck, all us non-smokers will be sitting in pubs on our own cos all our friends who do smoke will be elsewhere!
I'm all for banning smoking in restaurants or eating areas as I detest smokers smoking right next to me when I'm eating, as for pubs...no way!

Totally agree, I am also a non smoker of cigarettes, but can you imagine sitting in a half empty pub in winter as no one wants to go outside and smoke in the cold and the rain. This will kill the pub and club scene. Dont mind non smoking area's in pubs or don't smoke around the bar because of the bar staff, as well as pubs being emforced to buy theses smoke extractors. The extractors are new and get rid of 90% of the smoke. Anyone drink in the cleveland by Blakers park? They've got one and it used to be a smoky old place but its got super extractor and its solved it. If someone is smoking in your face, then ask them not to, restuarants is tottaly different as food is another matter and eating areas in pubs should be non smoking.
The whole idea is an infringement of our civil libities. If Brighton council ever did decide to do this and kill off the quality nightlife in Brighton, then I'm going down the town hall with all my rubbish that I pay 60 pound council tax to be picked up and its still left on the street and dumping that all over their steps. If the PC brigade, numpty moaners, and blinkered council do gooders want to turn Brighton into Singapore the go head. I ask how many people will come down to Brighton with their mates for a good night out? or to University etc? Whats next? Stop Drinking in the Pub because drinkers are loud and it annoys people when they're reading their books in the corner?

 

[goldstone]

Smoking is a really disgusting habit and the sooner it is banned from all pubs, clubs, restaurants, bars and all public buildings not just in Brighton, but worldwide, the better it will be for all of us.

Don't get me started ...

 

[Captain Sensible]

Smoking is a really disgusting habit and the sooner it is banned from all pubs, clubs, restaurants, bars and all public buildings not just in Brighton, but worldwide, the better it will be for all of us.

Don't get me started ...

Go and live in the middle east.

 

[goldstone]

In My Opinion:

This would suck, all us non-smokers will be sitting in pubs on our own cos all our friends who do smoke will be elsewhere!

Where exactly is the "elsewhere" where they would be? If smoking was banned in ALL public buildings across the country they'd either be at home or out in the rain.

 

[goldstone]

Go and live in the middle east.

Been there, done that.

What exactly is your point?

 

[Captain Sensible]

I mean go and live somewhere, that is controlling of you and how you live. Banning smoking from PUBs (not talking of restaurants and shops etc) is taking away a social liberty that all people have a place to drink and smoke. I'm fed up with being told how to live. If sitting in a pub with mates (that smoke) is a pleasure of mine or anyone elses, then leave us be.
Like I said before, this town relys on tourism and weekend clubs and pubs to pull in millions, It ain't gonna change.