Not nice but then I don't see throngs of people complaining about all of the car pollution they're sucking in.


Ok, why don't we just judge how you live your life? Let's examine it in detail shall we?

Seriously, people are so quick to say what people should and should not do. I'm sure the stonemasons must be doing a thriving trade, making all of the pedestals that many people wish to place themselves on.

Anyway, that argument aside, what about the loss of funding to the NHS? Has anybody got any bright ideas on how to replace the billions of pounds that would be removed if there were no smokers?

Furthermore, going down that route ban drinking. That costs the NHS money both directly and indirectly, unlike smoking which puts in more than it takes out, and results in expenditure from the Police and Court System as well. That would seem a far more logical thing to try and stop.

But hang on, people want to be able to choose to drink...

Like Paulzolo, I get breathing problems if I am subjected to smoke. I had to have a couple of days off work, because they put the smoking room next to my office!

My "allergy" is much better now, when I worked at my former employers, even if somebody was smoking 100M away up wind, I'd start coughing and need to use my inhaler - and take an anti-histamine to stop the wheezing in my throat. Now I can be around somebody who is smoking for several minutes, before I start wheezing.

The worst is having to throw my clothes in the wash after I get home and have a shower to get rid of the disgusting smell!

As I've said before, I occasionally smoke a pipe and one the one hand would hate to be causing offence if it bothered people as I walk down the street. On the other hand, plenty of people offend me with their terrible language, and some of the fumes given off by some cars can smell horrid, not to mention people who don't clean up after their dogs...

At the end of the day, if I'm not happy with someone, I move. I go around them or move away. I think I'd expect others to do the same if they didn't like what I was doing.

As to the whole clothes thing, when I smoke all that really gets smokey is the collar of my coat (and my hair), a little fabreeze which is always kept in the house is applied and problem solved. Personally I can't see how someone smoking outside can cause your clothes to smell that much. But perhaps I don't have a wonderful sense of smell.

Try working in an office, where people are smoking 20M away all day long... That impregnates your skin, your hair, your clothes... It takes more than a bit of a breeze to get rid of it.

Back in the day when I worked in a bar, I came home EVERY evening with a runny nose and sore throat from the smoke.

Ok, ok, ok, the point has been made people aren't big fans of smoking, I'm not a big fan of many things but each to their own IMO.

The point is, where would those NHS funds come from if not from smokers? It's time to address that issue is it not?

Furthermore, we also have to consider future funding. Less smokers would, probably, mean some people live longer. Where are the extra funds going to come from to deal with these extra elderly patients and increased cases of dementia?

Honestly, it's all good and well having ideas but the practicalities have to be addressed.

I know this sounds really knobbish (not the intention, believe me ), but have you considered asking your MP to raise the question? It's a good question, no doubt about it... Or even your local councillors, either as a group or individually?

Where are the pensions doing to come from.
£7.1 billion pounds from tobacco duty, never mind the VAT.
What about the newsagents that will go bust because of not just the lost trade but the lost revenue from other purchases when people buy cigs.

I'm not a smoker, though I am partial to having the odd smoke when on offer. I find it calming and alows you to take stock of the world.

Would britain have won the war if churchill hadn't had a cigar to stategise.
Would gandalf have concocted a plan to destroy the ring without pipe weed
would clint eastwood..........
ok too far.

Yes but natural selection is getting rid of them quite rapidly. I do not smoke and never have, though I think that the anti smoking stance has gone far enough. I would support a ban on advertising and promotions, as these are only to get new smokers unlike what they claim is to get existing smokers to switch. A ban on cigarette machines would also help stop kids getting access. I am not so sure of what to do about the behind the counter displays but that could be left for another time to see what the existing proposals have on smoking numbers.

Or we could just leave (adult) people alone to make their own choices about what they do and let the government deal with the revenue generated/consequences, I'm given to understand that's what we pay them for!!

At the moment it's coming from massive massive borrowing. Bloody Labour, they couldn't even balance the books when the economy was doing well.

As long as it doesn't affect others, yes. The biggest problem with smoking is that it affects people in a wide radius around the person smoking. Drinkers? Unless they drink too much and become aggressive or are "in your face" and pushing their alcohol fueled breath on you, they don't affect you.

Okay, cars do affect anybody on the street, but until an "environmentally friendly" alternative exists, there isn't much we can do about it - although I go by foot or bicycle a lot these days, where I can.

BO? Can affect a wider radius, but generally it isn't too bad for most people, and often it isn't something that the person can often control.

Smoking is a voluntary activity. You can chose not to inflict it on other people around you. If I go to a smokers house, I expect that they won't stop smoking for me, and I will have to put up with it. But if I am in public or in my house, then I expect it to be smoke free. Interestingly, they changed the smoking room to the attic in our building yesterday, so no more smoke down here!


Charge the population in general a more realistic sum for NI / tax.


Again, you would have to tax the whole population realistically. Ex-smokers would be better off, but the non-smokers would have to pay their "fair share".

I smoke, but try to at least do so considerately.

Problems I see for the general public is where that revenue will come from now, and the fact they wont reduce the taxation on cigarettes to make it fairer for all.

For walking past places... I rather people smoke outside, I'm not a heavy smoker, and don't go smoking when I'm eating etc and don't appreciate smoking when I am eating, but if I'm out for a few I have no problem going outside for a quick one between drinks.

Interestingly locally places that have better facilities for smokers seem to have done better since the ban than places where you just get chucked outside, one place used to be ok but is pretty much packed now, because they have seats outside and smokers will go and socialise more. It's kindof becoming a small club of diehards who will go smoke in any weather.

Same goes for when I am with company, I generally avoid smoking when I am at my gf's, but if I am going to go for one I'll go outside and change my clothes when I get inside as I know it does smell.

Speaking of cancer..... Daily fail list of everything they claim that can give you cancer:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2 ... 9512464297

Notable things:
Bacon
Aspirin
Being black (seriously)
being southern
bj's
bread
hot drinks (and energy drinks)
fruit
potatoes/chips

and of course....
Facebook

But cigarettes aren't on the list!

But they can cause sudden teeth loss:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-p ... 493288.stm

Guy on my course is from Indonesia, smokes clove cigarettes, and they make a really weird popping sound when they are burning, smell really nice though