Saturday, April 28, 2007

The Smoking Ban

Today, I thought I would write a little bit about the Smoking ban which will come into force in the UK on July the 1st 2007. I know that this is going to be a highly emotive time for those on both sides of the virtual fence in regards this, and that I may just upset a few people by writing this now. I must confess though, to be perfectly honest with you I'll be glad when the ban comes into force...

As a lifelong non smoker, you might say that I might be a little biased in this argument but I will TRY to remain as unbiased as I can and TRY and see this from both sides of the proverbial fence so to speak.

For many years, the smoker has argued of course that it is his/her right to smoke wherever he/she damn well pleases regardless of what anybody else thinks, and that sentiment has been almost forcibly taken up by pretty much every smoker I have ever encountered with the exception of just a few good friends. OK, I can relate to that to an extent, it is indeed anyone's right to do as they please so long as it doesn't affect other people.

This however is where the argument of the smoker falls apart somewhat.

Their habit, vile and disgusting as it is...... Oh shit, there goes my unbiased view.... does not just affect only themselves, it affects everyone within a given radius of their fucking poison. Many people have died as a direct result of passive smoking, many have contracted incurable, long suffering diseases due to other peoples insistence on being able to do exactly what they please, when they please.

What about the non smokers right to breath clean air whenever and wherever he/she pleases, what about their rights to safeguard their health?

For years smokers have banged on about how, if non smokers don't like it, then they can go elsewhere and leave them to their, err...umm pleasures!

Well not any more!! The tide has turned, Karma has come back and bitten them in the ass. Common sense has prevailed at long last and the powers that be have finally realized the poison these people inflict upon others in the name of their rights to do as they please, is totally unacceptable.

And I have to say I'm not unhappy...

Do you have any idea what's in that shit? There are 60 different Carcinogenic compounds in cigarette smoke, if your unsure of what a Carcinogen is then just ask Roy Castle. Ooops, too late...

Tobacco smoke, as a smoker will no doubt agree is the direct residue of their pleasure, it permeates the air and putrefies my hair and cloths until I stink like a damned ashtray. It also takes place without my consent and against my express wishes.

I have a pleasure also. I like a glass or two of ice cold Fosters Lager once in a while. I find myself wondering tonight whether the smoker would be annoyed if I inflicted the direct residue of my pleasure upon them as they do me. Would they be annoyed perhaps if, after a few pints of the amber nectar, I stood on a chair and pissed on their cloths and in their hair without their consent?

I would imagine not, so why do I have to put up with the residue of their disgusting pleasure all the time?

No. I will not feel remorse for those poor unfortunates denied of lighting up their cancer sticks in public places. I will not feel remorse that they will no longer be able to completely smoke out public places such as restaurants, public houses, cinema's or what have you. I ask you, did these people EVER feel remorse for me for having to breath all their shit in? I very much doubt it....

Roll on July 1st

5 Comments:

At 10:34 am, Blogger Targanielle said...

Applause from a smoker (who tries not to inflict it on others).

Well said, it's about time the rights of the non-smoker to a smoke-free environment came into force!

I have no time for smokers who whinge on about their "right" to smoke in public. It's not a right, it's an intrusion into everyone else's life when they do it.

You tell it how it is :)

 
At 2:54 am, Blogger Al said...

I must say, it's actually very nice to see that not all smokers are inflicted by the same mentality that I normally have to deal with.

Thanks for the Applause ;-)

 
At 3:47 am, Blogger Lorna said...

I'm an ex-smoker.. but even as a smoker I didn't smoke indoors. Partially I smoked to get away from people and have some time to myself, partially I smoked because I enjoyed it. But, either way, I didn't smoke on others unless they followed me. (And then its their own darn problem!)

British Columbia (Canada) has had a ban in public buildings for.. gosh, four or five years now. Haven't been able to smoke in restaurants in longer. People bitched and complained, bars said they'd lose their business.. but guess what? More smokers quit and the non-smokers went out to the pubs knowing their chances of cancer were down.

Very glad to hear the land of uck is catching up with us tree huggers. :)

 
At 7:18 am, Blogger Norvakdragon said...

I'm a smoker, but I agree with what has been said. Like Lorna, I will not smoke inside or around other people. I smoke for much the same reason. In my city, a smoking ban was put into place and I was fine with that. It actually did not change how I smoke at all. Unfortunatly, a new ammendment to the law has been introduced that DOES indeed put alcohol under the same provisions (No more public intake of liquor and MUCH stiffer penalties for public intoxication). This WILL harm business for bars and restaurants. sadly, it looks like the ammendment has the clout to pass. Sad, huh?

 
At 1:15 am, Blogger Al said...

I can see that this one has raised a few comments, I'm actually glad that I said 'Most' of the smokers I know have taken the above stance as I'm well aware that not every smoker is a complete asshole.

I do know some that aren't of course ;-)

But anyway, in closing I would like to add that here in the UK, we actually have had a no alcohol in public state for some years now, & likewise it's good to know the US is finally catching up with the tree huggers over here :-P

Not one pub has closed because of this though & alcohol related violence on the streets is now down...

 

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