If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.
Options
Essential support for under 25s
Essential support for under 25s
Take a look around and enjoy reading the discussions. If you'd like to join in, it's really easy to register and then you'll be able to post. If you'd like to learn what this place is all about, head here.
Comments
Should I be allowed to dump 1kg of nuclear waste in the river just because someone in North Korea dropped 100kg?
But even that isn't the point.
A smoker can still smoke, they can go and stand outside. The right to be protected from something is superior to the right to do something. My right to not be poisoned is greater than the right of another person to poison me.
No you shouldn't, but wouldn't it be worth trying to stop Korea dropping their 100kg before worrying about France dropping their 1kg?
You'll need to start campaining to stop a whole load of other stuff if that's your stance on the matter.
I don't think it's unreasonable. Go and pollute outside.
Go to a non-smoking bar then if it fucks you off that much.
When you smoke, you inadvertently blow smoke into the breathing space of all people around you.
When I have a drink in a bar, I don't piss all over everyone do I?
My point is, smoking affects everyone - drinking, eating etc is down to the choice of the individual with little/no effect on those around me. I agree with you on transport - that does affect the environment, and I think we should look at ways of improving the effect it has on our health, and the world in general - see my thread on Peak Oil Theory
which would be far more helpful
I can understand the high taxes to make smoking more out of reach, but does it really work? I know people who will spend their taxi fare home on cigarettes and walk rather than getting home quickly.
I do intend to try and give up but I keep putting it off, it would be nice to see people not smoking around people just becuase it's wrong and not because some law has been passed but as if that would ever happen.
I guess a lot of people just don't like being told what to do and I suppose the drinking/pub culture interwinds quite closley with those that smoke. i don;t drink so I can say no to smoking in pubs, but whoa betide anyone who tries to stop me smoking outside. If people want to stop that then they can start walking to work first.
I agree something must be done about vehicle pollution but obviously thats been a tricky question for some time. it seems some people would rather take over an oil producing country than try to come up with a solution, it seems it was hard enough to get bush to even admit there was a problem at the G8
DJH
I do, but there aren't that many of them. Only 20% of people smoke, but its hard for businesses to boot out 10% of their customers (I would imagine a lot of smokers would just nip outside for a tab if they were that fussed).
And even more to the point, why should a vile and disgusting habit "enjoyed" by a tiny minority be allowed to hold the rest of society to ransom? About 20% of people smoke, why should their choice to pollute be upheld against the right of 80% to be able to go out on an evening and not choke to death on someone else's fag smoke.
Why should my night be ruined because some selfish oik wants to smoke? Why should my clothes be ruined because some selfish oik wants to smoke?
Banning smoking in public places cannot be a commercial decision, because that commercial decision is rarely made. Would you give 10% of your custom away to a rival? It needs to be enforced on all businesses, so that those who don't want smokers are not greatly financially penalised by it.
Smoking should still be allowed in pubs where:
a. 75% of all accomodation is non-smoking.
b. Where the bars and toilets are non-smoking, and you don't have to go through the smoking area to get to them.
c. Where the smoking area is separated by solid doors and walls that are kept shut.
I don't think smoking should be outright banned, but the rights of the majority should take precedence. If smoking areas cannot be made in a pub, then that pub should be non-smoking.
Pollution on all scales needs to be combatted. But just because there's a bus outside pumping out diesel fumes doesn't suddenly mean it's fair for me to have to call my night out off because neither me nor my wife can breathe.