Smoking in the UK

[sadtohappycat]

And you beat him , therefore demonstrating that people who smoke are also rubbish at fighting

 

[jennnn:t]

I'm sure there was a study into the effects of smoking, compared to the effects of drinking. I might be wrong. But it is an argument I've seen used, that a few cigarettes on the weekend is less harmful than the few bottles of alcohol a non-smoker can go through on the weekend.

There's dangers around drinking too both for the drinkers and for those who come in contact with them, but you don't need a license to drink(?). No, others don't suffer 'passive drinking' from you, but there's still plenty of alcohol related attacks/crime.

Not my argument, but something to consider.

 

[UmiG]

It's not a good arguement saying that X evil isn't as bad as Y evil. The passive smoking was inflicted without choice on anyone who went out for an evening without any repercussions for the smoker. Alcohol related attacks/crime run a high risk of some kind of punishment and regardless of alcohol intake are still the result of a concious decision by the drinker, whether it was to start the crime or get to the state where his judgement is that badly flawed.

 

[Yug]

IM a smoker and have always been cafeful not to smoke around non smokers unless they specifically tell me that they dont mind, Just make it illigal to smoke anywhere other than home/friends home and itll solve most problems.

Yes i know the argument that its another one of our rights down the pan, but id say that giving up a right to poison yourself with out any really good effects isnt really one worth fighting for.

Also it would encourage less people to smoke, i dont think the goverment are trying to stop it dead, just make it more akward which as a result will probably see less people take up smoking.

Phill

 

[pinelake302]

I wonder if smoking, at least in the USA, is going the way of drinking. Used to be (my grandparents generation, at least) that drinking was accepted just about anywhere. No real DUI laws, it was acceptable to keep a bottle of scotch in your office at work and have a snort at meetings.

These days, the world no longer accepts the drunk driver; the cops just don't let you sleep it off with no repercussions. It's understood that drinking excessively is a problem and society just doesn't allow the behavior.

In Colorado at least, you can't smoke inside anywhere. Some companies disallow smoking on campus. Some companies go so far as to test for nicotine and will fire those that do continue to smoke. At all. At the least, many corporations will offer health insurance premium differentials based on tobacco use.

IF it gets to the point that society simply doesn't allow cigarettes/cigars/pipes/whatever, we'll likely see it treated more as a disorder or disease and less like "your smelly friend" or whatever.

I don't know how the rest of the world looks at it outside of the US and UK. Slip: I understood you live in Asia somewhere (Hong Kong maybe?). My recollection of China was that EVERYONE smokes. All day, like a freight train. Is China taking the same tack? Is it just Hong Kong? Am I way off track here?

My preference would be that, for something like smoking, it would seem like a perfect thing to ban. At the very least, with US drinking laws setting the age to purchase to 21, why is alcohol illegal when cigarettes are not?

I'm a former smoker. I still want one. Ugh.

 

[iamkool]

Yeah I am in Asia... most of the time Hong Kong and about once a month in the mainland or some other spot over here. In general in China... yes people smoke like there is no tomorrow. Just smoke stacks the lot of them. Every brand of cigarette known to man is for sale here and every copy brand as well.

In Hong Kong... they've made it illegal to smoke in all gov. buidlings, public parks and outside of most building entrances. Most bars and nightclubs it's also illegal to smoke. Though some have a 2 year waiver. But in general the trend is to make it illegal.

Fine by me. Nothing worse than hustling down a Hong Kong sidewalk and getting stuck behind a smoking that is puffing away. Smokers never seem to be able to find the ashtray or ash bin and tend dump their buts in planters. Many planters have more dead cigarettes than plants in them. This is slowly starting to change.

You're quite correct in the societies perception of smoking. As more of health risk comes to light via science... smoking is taking a beating. And I'm happy for that. Drinking used to be much more common in the US... your right it used to be 3 martini lunches. No more... that sort of stuff rarely flys. Having a pint at lunch these days will get you a serious brow beating if you co workers find out.

 

[goodygumdrops0183]

Just wish it was illegal to smoke sometimes, I really feel sick at the smell. It's awful when someone blows it in your face when you ask them to move away from you a bit too.

 

[corina]

Speak the truth, brother! lol

I agree whole-heartedly. I'm just too lazy to re-iterate your point...

It must be because I smoke.

 

[DeadeSoul_697]

I hate it when the smokers come back in from their "fag" break. I find the sudden smell of smoke really annoying. And the colder it is the more it seems to linger!

 

[Nikou08]

I can remember only maybe 15 years ago we used to work on the weekends and go to the pub in the lunch time. 10 people drinking in rounds made for a messy afternoon, I used to find the first aid room and go to sleep on the bed. Come 4 or 5 O'clock we all used to drive the hundred or so miles home.

 

[rachelj110]

I think a lot of our teachers at school used to go to the pub Friday lunchtimes. I know the 6th formers did

 

[bloodyakiko]

Trip to the pub now is viewed as a test to some company's. Notice how much orange juice is consumed by people in power, whilst the oiks all have a pint.

 

[JesusJ]

Not sure about lunch times at school, but when we went to Germany for a week the teachers were pissed every night.

also, i remember one year i had science after lunch time and the class store room used to stink of cigars. Quite funny really when you think of all that science stuff just waiting to explode!

 

[Lawliet]

That's cos we love plants you see? The nicotine keeps the bugs off

Actually, there is some truth in that. If you want a natural insecticide for your plants in the spring and summer, have your smoker friends drop their butts in a glass of water, or alternatively, buy a pack of smokes and crush the ciggies into a glass of water.

Let it steep for a couple of days (till the water turns brown). Now pour the water around your plant's roots. The plant will take up the nicotine so it'll be present at some levels in its sap. nicotine has no effect on plants (no nicotine receptors), however it is deadly toxic to most animals... aphids, blackfly etc.

No more insect problems & no need to spray posionous insecticides in your garden.

 

[mayemerald4ev]

You can also remove Bot fly larva using the same method.

 

[kbcouture]

This way you'll always have enough flowers for all your dead friends gravestones.

 

[PigletSorx]

my g-d britain has done it again. just when you think that they cant interefere in their citizens lives anymore they suprise you. Licensing will eventually lead to the death of free will, even if it starts at smoking

 

[Surfskate7000]

(this is me hating the fact that I ever picked up cigarettes, as I light 1 )

It's all about the all mighty dollar...