So its happened the ban on smoking has been implemented, much joy and rapture amongst the masses. I was at Euston Station today and saw the shiny new No Smoking signs and the police armed with machine guns presumably to enforce the new law.
As a non smoker, I should not be against the ban, but I suppose equally as a former non smoking worker in the cigarette industry, I should be supportive of the industry.
Its not that I don't agree that smoking is hazardous to health, it is and its proven, but there cannot be a smoker alive today that does not know the fact and its their choice. Ok what about the secondary smokers, I met Roy Castle a few years before he died, so I can fully sympathize with the secondary smoking argument. However, I still don't agree with the total ban.
With regard to pubs, why not have each borough having the authority to have 25% of public houses licensed as smoking pubs and a part of the qualification for a licence is ventilation overall and especially in the area of the bar and food areas.
Smoking is a killer ... the argument about the NHS costs are strong, but the taxes smokers pay on cigarettes are high and if we do make the smoker extinct, then our taxes will increase about £0.05 in the pound.
I don't know the answer but when the cost of coping with dying smokers is quoted does it take into account the cost that these people would cost dying anyway and what is the difference?
I'll be honest I don't like smoking, can't stand the smell of smoke on me when I get home after a night in the pub, but why shouldn't I have the right to choose if I want to tolerate smelling like an old ash tray.
Not a popular view but lets allow choice, lets keep smokers in the minority but lets also give the majority the choice and lets reduce Government interference or we'll start banning everything - alcohol from pubs, cyclists from the road, blue smarties .....
