smoking

[slicer15]

That particular cell phone ban while driving is on in the UK here too...and yes, it's proven rather unsuccessful. You get fined if caught, but there wasn't really a decrease in the use. There are talks of increasing the fine in an effort to stop it, but I'm not so sure if it'll work.

Bluetooth has become more popular though, and that can class as hands-free...so I dunno...

But I believe traffic alone is a bigger killer than smoking...for teenagers in the UK anyway. I find it surprising that your brother looked for his phone while driving, Stormy...isn't that asking for an accident?

Back to smoking, I've always been against it with a passion, but I must admit, I was rather narrow-minded. I didn't stop to think on how much it was infringing on people's rights and such, and I did want a full ban everywhere. I'd like to apologise if I sounded like that earlier. I don't mean to. ^^;;

But I want to ask smokers, why do you smoke? Out of curiosity. I mean, when you hear all these stories relentlessly pressing on the risks and such (I find them irritating too now, and I don't even smoke!) and know about the health detriments, what lets you continue? Simple enjoyment? Addiction? Purposefully going against the repetetive ads? (That was a joke. [img]tongue.gif[/img] )

[johnny]

Simple, because i enjoy it. I enjoy a cigarette with my first cup of coffee in the morning, i enjoy smoking a cigarette after dinner, i enjoy smoking a cigarette while drinking a nice cold beer and watching a footballgame, etc...

I don't enjoy people smoking around me when i'm eating though, and i don't smoke until i had my first cup of coffee in the morning, even if it takes hours.

And yeah, i think i'm addicted, but i can't be sure of that until i try to quit, and frankly, that thought doesn't cross my mind very often. But when i run out of smokes, and it's in the middle of the night, i go out and don't come home until i have a new pack of smokes, so it must be an addiction.

[Sigmar]

People smoke because it relieves stress.
People smoke because it, as crazy as it may sound to some, comforts them.
People smoke because (generally the case with adults)that is their informed decision.

There are more I can't be bothered to list now.

People telling people to STOP SMOKING isn't just a wee bit rude, but it simply won't work, despite how many "health warnings" you throw at them.

No, I don't smoke, nor have I ever tried but a lot of my family and friends do.

I'm not particulary fond of the smell, although pipe smoke does smell quite nice (force everyone to smoke Sherlock Holmes style pipes ). Smoking and non smoking area in restaurant policies seem to work here in Gib, and I'm sure it does in many other places too. In clubs and stuff, I don't really notice it.

Personally people smoking only grates my cheese when they light up seemingly RIGHT in front of you, or where they blow their smoke in such a manner that it envelops your face completely. Thats just damn rude, would you go up to another person and cough in their face? I don't think so.

There are much greater evils in the world today than cigarettes, let humanity deal with those first. Hell it's an addiction too, and until "they" (scientists et al) invent a magical pill that inhibits this addiciton, well, we can't claim that people just up and stop smoking. Apparently it is quite hard to stop y'know.

[ 11-30-2004, 06:01 PM: Message edited by: Sigmar ]

[LennonCook]

Originally posted by Sigmar: People smoke because it relieves stress. People smoke because it, as crazy as it may sound to some, comforts them. People smoke because (generally the case with adults)that is their informed decision.

I always find the "relaxation" arguments (stress-relieving, calming, etc) quite odd, considering that Nicotine is a stimulant...

People telling people to STOP SMOKING isn't just a wee bit rude, but it simply won't work, despite how many "health warnings" you throw at them.

Exacly why these bans for it in public places need to happen. Asking people to not smoke there won't work and thus, they need to be told "You can't smoke in this particular place".

Smoking and non smoking area in restaurant policies seem to work here in Gib, and I'm sure it does in many other places too. In clubs and stuff, I don't really notice it.

It only works if the areas are completely separate from one another, rather than two separate sides of one room. That is, there needs to be no way for the smoke to simply waft over into the non-smoking area, or there is no point declaring them as separate areas. And even if the areas are completely separate, but both indoors, there is no improvement on the waiters' working conditions, which (as has been pointed out before) is the primary argument for change.

Personally people smoking only grates my cheese when they light up seemingly RIGHT in front of you, or where they blow their smoke in such a manner that it envelops your face completely. Thats just damn rude, would you go up to another person and cough in their face? I don't think so.

I agree with that entirely. Smoking in general bugs me, but there is nothing more annoying than it being willingly and knowingly forced upon someone else. And in a context like this, there is no argument as to how willful or knowing it was of the person to blow smoke right into someone's face...

There are much greater evils in the world today than cigarettes, let humanity deal with those first.

Regardless of the degree of evil anything may be, the removal of all of it (if that is to happen) has to start somewhere. The banning of smoke from enclosed public places is a good start.

Hell it's an addiction too, and until "they" (scientists et al) invent a magical pill that inhibits this addiciton, well, we can't claim that people just up and stop smoking. Apparently it is quite hard to stop y'know.

There are already products and services out to help people get over addictions. The problem with the products is simple: they don't often work. To give up an addiction takes the right motivation - it has to be done by choice. Many mothers, for example, have quit cold turkey when they find out that they are pregnant. This isn't because their addiction is weaker than anybody elses, but rather because they have has a very good incentive to quit. But, no, we can't say "it is now illegal to smoke full stop" and expect that noone will smoke anymore. Which is yet another reason why the ban won't, and can't, go past enclosed public places: these are the places where smoking undoubtedly affects everyone, not just the smokers, in very big ways.

[Blind_Prophet]

Smoking is a choice, right we all know that, And like so many others I chose to smoke not saying it was a good choice. I really don't mind not smoking in public places, so ban it all you want in public places,but don't ever say i can't chose to smoke cause it harms my body, my choice, no matter how good someone takes care of themself its still not gonna take out the factor that your gonna die no matter what,so if i die from cancer it might make my death sooner it might not effect it at all, oh well thats what i get. Just don't ever look down on me, like your supieror for not smoking. Smoking is something I enjoy I take pleasure in. After work makes my body relaxed makes me less tense it makes me feel better...sure their may be no sure evidence that cigs make you relaxed or relieve stress but their is plenty of studies on placebo drugs, and thats how they make me feel if you chose to believe me or not.

[wellard]

Originally posted by Blind_Prophet: Smoking is a choice, right we all know that, And like so many others I chose to smoke not saying it was a good choice. I really don't mind not smoking in public places, so ban it all you want in public places,but don't ever say i can't chose to smoke cause it harms my body, my choice, no matter how good someone takes care of themself its still not gonna take out the factor that your gonna die no matter what,so if i die from cancer it might make my death sooner it might not effect it at all, oh well thats what i get. Just don't ever look down on me, like your supieror for not smoking. Smoking is something I enjoy I take pleasure in. After work makes my body relaxed makes me less tense it makes me feel better...sure their may be no sure evidence that cigs make you relaxed or relieve stress but their is plenty of studies on placebo drugs, and thats how they make me feel if you chose to believe me or not.

Blind Prohet [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img] Long may you enjoy you pleasure and you’re freedom to use or misuse your body as you see fit. But most of all thankyou for not getting in a spin or persecution complex over being asked not to smoke in public places.

[Landon Contressior]

I am with Blind Prophet, I abid by the rules of non-smokeing buildings.

However, on to the smoking section non smoking section issue(workers health), i believe this problem could be remedied by simpley making that a question on the application. "do you mind working around smokers?" then it wouldn't be anyones fault except there own.

I was actully thinking about quiting today. but Nicole just bought me a new carton. cant waste money.

[burnzey boi]

the government will have to ban smoking completly because of the damage to the people and the world around us. animals get affected too.

[J'aran]

Originally posted by burnzey boi: the government will have to ban smoking completly because of the damage to the people and the world around us. animals get affected too.

In that case a lot of things would have to be completely banned.

[Aerich]

Originally posted by Landon Contressior: However, on to the smoking section non smoking section issue(workers health), i believe this problem could be remedied by simpley making that a question on the application. "do you mind working around smokers?" then it wouldn't be anyones fault except there own.

I just want to address this idea. I've said my piece already on the general issue, and I won't belabour it.

But in re: having a question as part of an application process, I think it is a bad idea in the sense that it will not get the result that seems to be the overall goal (improvement in working conditions). Most people who work in bars and the restaurant industry don't have an amazing range of options when it comes down to it. What you'd end up with is a substantial proportion of people who actually do mind or think it is harmful to their health actually saying that they don't mind, so that they will be considered for the job. Saying that it will be their own fault is a bit harsh, since economic pressures force many people to do things they don't want to do (like work, period [img]smile.gif[/img] ).

The whole point in having a ban in certain areas where smoking arguably affects working conditions is to better the working conditions for people who do not have the power, economic or otherwise, to demand and enforce a change themselves. I think some governments are also cognizant of the health risks and stress on the health system down the road. That's certainly the case in my country, where the majority of medical procedures and care are subsidized by the government.

Just in passing, to address burnzey boi's most recent post - trying to force people to quit with a direct ban will not work (look at the Prohibition era in North American history) and is dubiously effective in controlling environmental/world damage anyway. Approximately 60% of air pollutants are the byproducts of automobiles; about 30% is industrial; and the remaining 10% is from a miscellaneous bundle of sources, of which smoking comprises about 2%. If you are concerned about environmental/world/health effects, it would be much more effective to attack the industry standards on fuel purity and automobile emissions, rather than to seek a ban on a personal indulgence that is a very minor part of the overall problem.

And I have never puffed a single cigarette in my life. [img]smile.gif[/img]