UK Non-smoking day 2009... — Forum Archive

11 Mar 2009, 12:09

Today is National Non-Smoking Day.

I've never smoked cigarettes or tobacco, so I don't know how hard it can be to give the addiction up.

What I have noticed since the introduction of smoke-free public areas in 2007 is a far more sociable atmosphere. I only just visited Cafe Chloe's in St. Helens for the Sunset night last Thursday and not only enjoyed four pints of Coca Cola, I also met one of my fellow tenants for the first time.

Best of luck if you are trying to give up smoking. And if you're not, it's never too late to try.

http://smokefree.nhs.uk/

11 Mar 2009, 12:42

I'm puffing away like a trooper.

Fuck pints of coke too. :smoking:

11 Mar 2009, 13:22

I gave up on the 5th of january apart from the weekends when im drinking, i know its not really given up, but its a big step. not missing them too much during the week, but i swear my addiction is making me drink so that it will lead to me buying cigs. not that i ever need that much pushing to have a drink.

11 Mar 2009, 14:40

Quit almost 8 years ago, was smoking 2 packs of Marlboro Reds a day. Cold turkey is the only real way in doing it. Quit because I saw my son (3 years old then) pretending to smoke while playing in the yard.*

As for the non-smoking public areas, for the most part i think its a croc of shite. People should be allowed to smoke in bars and other social areas. I find it especially retarded when they ban smoking in open areas, like here in CA they banned smoking on the beach.

If people want to be healthy, good on them... no reason to impose your beliefs on others enjoying a good smoke...

*I used to smoke on deployments, but quit when i came home. Iraq was especially good as you could buy quality cig cartons for $2. Still miss smoking now and then... especially when drinking in a socially.

11 Mar 2009, 14:40

If my smoking bothers ye....

...dont fuckin breathe!

:smoking:

11 Mar 2009, 15:03

EdelBrock wrote: Quit almost 8 years ago, was smoking 2 packs of Marlboro Reds a day. Cold turkey is the only real way in doing it. Quit because I saw my son (3 years old then) pretending to smoke while playing in the yard.*

As for the non-smoking public areas, for the most part i think its a croc of shite. People should be allowed to smoke in bars and other social areas. I find it especially retarded when they ban smoking in open areas, like here in CA they banned smoking on the beach.

If people want to be healthy, good on them... no reason to impose your beliefs on others enjoying a good smoke...

*I used to smoke on deployments, but quit when i came home. Iraq was especially good as you could buy quality cig cartons for $2. Still miss smoking now and then... especially when drinking in a socially.

If you're going to try and be a devout anglophile, you must understand that it's "crock of shite", mate. A 'croc of shite' is an entirely different thing altogether. Though for some avante-gardist it will probably win the Turner Prize next year....

11 Mar 2009, 19:56

I'm on day 3 only because I have a cold/fever/feel like shit. My body wants the nicotine but my lungs wouldn't be able to handle the smoke. My fever was so high not long ago, that the thought of Urgent Care actually crossed my mind. By the time this fever is over, hopefully I'll be a little further out of the woods. Love the cigs, though. I can't really do this forever.

11 Mar 2009, 23:37

How about a non-drinking/non-public fornication day?

Smoking gets slagged off ever so. Mostly it will just kill you slowly up until the point you are past working age - which is no bad thing.

12 Mar 2009, 00:02

PETER COATES'S BELATED REDEMPTION wrote:

EdelBrock wrote: Quit almost 8 years ago, was smoking 2 packs of Marlboro Reds a day. Cold turkey is the only real way in doing it. Quit because I saw my son (3 years old then) pretending to smoke while playing in the yard.*

As for the non-smoking public areas, for the most part i think its a croc of shite. People should be allowed to smoke in bars and other social areas. I find it especially retarded when they ban smoking in open areas, like here in CA they banned smoking on the beach.

If people want to be healthy, good on them... no reason to impose your beliefs on others enjoying a good smoke...

*I used to smoke on deployments, but quit when i came home. Iraq was especially good as you could buy quality cig cartons for $2. Still miss smoking now and then... especially when drinking in a socially.

If you're going to try and be a devout anglophile, you must understand that it's "crock of shite", mate. A 'croc of shite' is an entirely different thing altogether. Though for some avante-gardist it will probably win the Turner Prize next year....

Well ain't that just a cruck.....

12 Mar 2009, 06:43

Damn!

I knew there was something I had to do.

Oh well, never mind, I guess I will just have to wait for the next one :shrug:

12 Mar 2009, 07:22

If you're going to try and be a devout francophile, you must understand that it's "avant-gardiste", mate.

12 Mar 2009, 07:24

Gazman wrote: If my smoking bothers ye....

...dont fuckin breathe!

:abovelol: :drug:

12 Mar 2009, 13:20

Bollocks to that - didn't know about it anyway!

:smoking:

13 Mar 2009, 05:54

EdelBrock wrote:

If people want to be healthy, good on them... no reason to impose your beliefs on others enjoying a good smoke...

So why can smokers impose their beliefs on everyone enjoying a good breath of fresh air?

I think they should ban it everywhere apart from in your own home and put the price up by 200%

:)

13 Mar 2009, 10:15

Major Tarantino wrote:

EdelBrock wrote:

If people want to be healthy, good on them... no reason to impose your beliefs on others enjoying a good smoke...

So why can smokers impose their beliefs on everyone enjoying a good breath of fresh air?

I think they should ban it everywhere apart from in your own home and put the price up by 200%

:)

Inhaling a bit of 2nd hand cigarette smoke here and there really pales in to insignificance when you consider the amount of ozone and nitrous oxides moving through the air. So should cars be banned also on those grounds? Making alcohol (a much more volatile drug) less accessible is vital in order to improve the productivity and wellbeing of the nation.

13 Mar 2009, 10:24

Ravi Kumar wrote:

Major Tarantino wrote:

EdelBrock wrote:

If people want to be healthy, good on them... no reason to impose your beliefs on others enjoying a good smoke...

So why can smokers impose their beliefs on everyone enjoying a good breath of fresh air?

I think they should ban it everywhere apart from in your own home and put the price up by 200%

:)

Inhaling a bit of 2nd hand cigarette smoke here and there really pales in to insignificance when you consider the amount of ozone and nitrous oxides moving through the air. So should cars be banned also on those grounds? Making alcohol (a much more volatile drug) less accessible is vital in order to improve the productivity and wellbeing of the nation.

Let me guess... You are a militant chain smoker... I conclude that from you stereotypical passing of the blame on to cars and alcohol. And I suppose you never worked in gastronomy (like I do) and were surrounded by smokers day by day (I am non-smoker btw.). Prohibition of smoking in public places is the best thing our government ever decided.

Let me tell you that 2nd hand smoke does more and of course faster damage to you then Ozone and other sh..tuff. But never mind go on smoking... I'll send you a funeral wreath.

13 Mar 2009, 10:35

Bere wrote:

Ravi Kumar wrote:

Major Tarantino wrote:

EdelBrock wrote:

If people want to be healthy, good on them... no reason to impose your beliefs on others enjoying a good smoke...

So why can smokers impose their beliefs on everyone enjoying a good breath of fresh air?

I think they should ban it everywhere apart from in your own home and put the price up by 200%

:)

Inhaling a bit of 2nd hand cigarette smoke here and there really pales in to insignificance when you consider the amount of ozone and nitrous oxides moving through the air. So should cars be banned also on those grounds? Making alcohol (a much more volatile drug) less accessible is vital in order to improve the productivity and wellbeing of the nation.

Let me guess... You are a militant chain smoker... I conclude that from you stereotypical passing of the blame on to cars and alcohol. And I suppose you never worked in gastronomy (like I do) and were surrounded by smokers day by day (I am non-smoker btw.). Prohibition of smoking in public places is the best thing our government ever decided.

Let me tell you that 2nd hand smoke does more and of course faster damage to you then Ozone and other sh..tuff. But never mind go on smoking... I'll send you a funeral wreath.

The health damage by smoking is typically measure in terms of years. As I said before, usually in later middle age i.e. at the end of a persons useful life. Contrast that with the problems associated with an evenings alcohol consumption:

Town centre violence Domestic Violence Car accidents Impaired judgement Unplanned sexual intercourse Possibility of rape Unconsciousness Choking on vomit Brain/Organ damage

All of these can occur within hours, especially more potent forms even in relative moderation.

13 Mar 2009, 10:58

Ravi Kumar wrote:

Bere wrote:

Ravi Kumar wrote:

Major Tarantino wrote:

EdelBrock wrote:

If people want to be healthy, good on them... no reason to impose your beliefs on others enjoying a good smoke...

So why can smokers impose their beliefs on everyone enjoying a good breath of fresh air?

I think they should ban it everywhere apart from in your own home and put the price up by 200%

:)

Inhaling a bit of 2nd hand cigarette smoke here and there really pales in to insignificance when you consider the amount of ozone and nitrous oxides moving through the air. So should cars be banned also on those grounds? Making alcohol (a much more volatile drug) less accessible is vital in order to improve the productivity and wellbeing of the nation.

Let me guess... You are a militant chain smoker... I conclude that from you stereotypical passing of the blame on to cars and alcohol. And I suppose you never worked in gastronomy (like I do) and were surrounded by smokers day by day (I am non-smoker btw.). Prohibition of smoking in public places is the best thing our government ever decided.

Let me tell you that 2nd hand smoke does more and of course faster damage to you then Ozone and other sh..tuff. But never mind go on smoking... I'll send you a funeral wreath.

The health damage by smoking is typically measure in terms of years. As I said before, usually in later middle age i.e. at the end of a persons useful life. Contrast that with the problems associated with an evenings alcohol consumption:

Town centre violence Domestic Violence Car accidents Impaired judgement Unplanned sexual intercourse Possibility of rape Unconsciousness Choking on vomit Brain/Organ damage

All of these can occur within hours, especially more potent forms even in relative moderation.

It is not just about health damage - passive smoking is simply annoying. Drinking beer doesn't do 2nd damage to anyone (unless you spill it on someone or break your glass on someone's head). It's simply the fact that the smoke is there and you can't run away. It's not only long-term damage. It's simply a prey for smokers to be considerate of non smokers... And please go away with that worn out cigarette industrie sponsored "My-smoking-is-less-harmless-than-plane-accidents" statistics... We are grown people here and not in Kindergarten...

13 Mar 2009, 11:11

you know what we should ban???

KIDS!!!

13 Mar 2009, 11:17

Jeffari-al-Texani wrote: you know what we should ban???

KIDS!!!

13 Mar 2009, 12:31

Ravi Kumar wrote: Town centre violence Domestic Violence Car accidents Impaired judgement Unplanned sexual intercourse Possibility of rape Unconsciousness Choking on vomit Brain/Organ damage

That's quite a CV you've got there, Kingy. Perhaps you should moderate it a bit though, eh? There's a good lad. :nod:

Anyways, what the fcuk is "Unplanned sexual intercourse"? Do people genuinely 'plan' to have sexual intercourse? Doesn't it just happen as and when people's mood takes them? :skeptic:

13 Mar 2009, 14:56

I do not know if I am a nostalgic or so, but I miss the smoke in pubs - cannot drink alcohol anymore but still smoke.

In my opinion, pubs turned to somekind of sport clubhouses to me. Something is missing. I find them dull.

But, as I do not live far from Spain, I discovered this and I think it makes sense. Like everywhere else in Europe, Spain introduced smoking ban in public areas. However, in tiner places (I cannot remember over how many people the ban is effective), it is still allowed to smoke while sipping his pint. Just a sign on the door warning customers that they can smoke inside.

13 Mar 2009, 15:57

I didn't know about National No Smoking Day, though I have been trying to give up.

Something that I've noticed though and many non-smokers I know agree with this, is that the smoking ban has had a very harsh effect on English pubs.

It's by no means the only factor, but it is a major one.

If you feel like a short read, you may wish to visit:

Sky News - Pub Closures

There are many similar articles, but this seemed to be the most concise.

Another factor is of course, the relaxed licensing laws and cheaper alcohol sales in supermarkets, but many people who smoke now think that they may as well buy cans of beer or bottles of spirits and drink and smoke at home.

The smoking ban has not alleviated the burden on the NHS imposed by smokers, merely increased the number of admissions due to alcohol-related health issues - people will drink more when they are at home and measures of spirits are always much larger than those served in pubs and bars.

Stopping smoking is the choice of the individual - if they don't wish to do so, they won't.

The closure of pubs, partly due to the smoking ban, has resulted in higher unemployment and a greater burden on government resources when covering the costs of benefit payments. There were many debates over a possible partial smoking ban, or areas set aside for smokers, but these were dismissed almost out of hand.

Many believe that the "British Pub" will cease to exist within the next thirty years.

Not only will this destroy many livelihoods for brewers, delivery companies, landlords, bar staff, etc. but it will also remove a huge number of focal points in communities. These focal points and meeting places are an intrinsic part of British life and putting an end to them will also help to destroy "community spirit" - which helps to counter much of the anti-social behaviour that we are increasingly seeing.

I would argue that in order to maintain communities, preserve jobs and alleviate a portion of the burden on the NHS it would be wiser to "educate" smokers and let those who wish to continue, do so.

Create separate smoking areas in public buildings and overall, reverse the ban.

13 Mar 2009, 16:03

Seems to miss the point of the smoking ban.

There's certainly fuck all chance that it will be reversed in order to help the licensed trade, and rightly so.

What a load of bollocks.

(err, I'll read the article now - may change this post if it doesn't say exactly what I expect it to say)

EDIT: Err nope!

There are better industries to support with legislation, and their are better forms of legislation than encouraging people to smoke and drink for fucks sake. You may as well moan about the number of nurses and radiologists who would be out of work if fallowing a decline in smoking-related cancers.

I fucking love pubs, but I'll survive if we lose a few of the empty ones. I feel just the same about this as I do when the haulage industry moans about high petrol prices forcing their costs up and causing their customers to send more freight by rail or not sending it at all. Good - means we can get through fucking Birmingham quicker.

As most people on here know, I speak as someone who's smoked and drank his way through adult life. The smoking ban is fucking great - I'd always join in if someone lit up in the pub, but I hardly ever go outside to smoke and now I've pretty much given up all together.

So sorry to all the poor tobacconists and cancer specialists, but you're out of fucking luck. I'll still be pissed down the pub as much as I ever was and I will treasure the fact that I can wear the same jacket the next morning without smelling like an ashtray.

Fags give you a shit hangover, anyway.

13 Mar 2009, 16:35

And another thing:

"Pub closures at this rate are threatening an important hub of our social fabric and community history.

What a load of fucking BOLLOCKS. The POST OFFICES were an important hub of our social fabric and community history. Pubs are dirty little rooms where people get pissed and talk bollocks and moan about the beer and chat up the barmaids and tell one another that they are their best friends, shake hands, go for a piss then stagger home eating a bag of chips then fall into bed next to their wives who've spend the night watching Strictly Come Wanking and wishing she'd never met the stupid bastard never mind married him. And that's the good ones, the rest of them don't even go home, they stand in the streets singing crappy football songs and fighting like girls. Hub of fucking WANK more like.

You don't hear the fucking pubs moaning that you can't watch a decent fucking game of football on a Saturday any more because they're all on a Thursday afternoon and you can't watch them at home unless you pay £40 a month for the fucking telly so you HAVE to go to the sodding pub anyway, fags or no bastard fags.

13 Mar 2009, 16:58

Major Tarantino wrote:

EdelBrock wrote:

If people want to be healthy, good on them... no reason to impose your beliefs on others enjoying a good smoke...

So why can smokers impose their beliefs on everyone enjoying a good breath of fresh air?

I think they should ban it everywhere apart from in your own home and put the price up by 200%

:)

I think you're taking me a bit out of context. Closed areas I understand. Cities where the air doesn't move around I understand. But beaches? The smoke won't effect someone 5 feet from you.

13 Mar 2009, 17:47

Diamond 383 wrote: And another thing:

"Pub closures at this rate are threatening an important hub of our social fabric and community history.

What a load of fucking BOLLOCKS. The POST OFFICES were an important hub of our social fabric and community history. Pubs are dirty little rooms where people get pissed and talk bollocks and moan about the beer and chat up the barmaids and tell one another that they are their best friends, shake hands, go for a piss then stagger home eating a bag of chips then fall into bed next to their wives who've spend the night watching Strictly Come Wanking and wishing she'd never met the stupid bastard never mind married him. And that's the good ones, the rest of them don't even go home, they stand in the streets singing crappy football songs and fighting like girls. Hub of fucking WANK more like.

You don't hear the fucking pubs moaning that you can't watch a decent fucking game of football on a Saturday any more because they're all on a Thursday afternoon and you can't watch them at home unless you pay £40 a month for the fucking telly so you HAVE to go to the sodding pub anyway, fags or no bastard fags.

We call them 'bines'

Not an abbreviation of 'Woodbines' as some might deduce,no sirreee...Ok,praps partially..but

Moreso from Cyndi Lauper's song'Bine After Bine'

Evolution with warped logic,some might say....

PM me all your bines everyone who has wrapped.

How the fuck can I say fairer than that?