Smoking ban - Repercusions
Feb. 8th, 2007 04:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Sorry for making another LJ post but I've just though of something whilst I was having a fag.
When the UK Smoking Ban (Health Act 2006) kicks in in July there is going to be an increase in litter.
People who choose to smoke will not stop simply because they are banned from smoking indoors (pubs, clubs, indoor smoking areas), they will instead just go outside to smoke. We know this and the government knows this. The number of dropped cigarette ends will increase exponentially as a result.
Part of me thinks that this has been taken into consideration all along as dropping litter in most places carries a fine, where I live it's a £50 spot fine from dropping a cigarette butt.
Of course, if councils were to increase the number of litter bins within cities and place them at appropriate locations (outside of pubs, clubs, etc), then there wouldn't be a problem. However we all know that most councils won't bother.
I'm pretty sure the smoking ban was just a typical knee-jerk reaction anyway, which is becoming typical with this Labour government. Perhaps if everyone (politians and the common people) were a little more objective and stopped trying to force things through quickly then this country would be a better place.
EDIT: Just to make this clear to everyone, this is my own opinion and I'm not going to think any less of you for voicing yours in a comment. :)
When the UK Smoking Ban (Health Act 2006) kicks in in July there is going to be an increase in litter.
People who choose to smoke will not stop simply because they are banned from smoking indoors (pubs, clubs, indoor smoking areas), they will instead just go outside to smoke. We know this and the government knows this. The number of dropped cigarette ends will increase exponentially as a result.
Part of me thinks that this has been taken into consideration all along as dropping litter in most places carries a fine, where I live it's a £50 spot fine from dropping a cigarette butt.
Of course, if councils were to increase the number of litter bins within cities and place them at appropriate locations (outside of pubs, clubs, etc), then there wouldn't be a problem. However we all know that most councils won't bother.
I'm pretty sure the smoking ban was just a typical knee-jerk reaction anyway, which is becoming typical with this Labour government. Perhaps if everyone (politians and the common people) were a little more objective and stopped trying to force things through quickly then this country would be a better place.
EDIT: Just to make this clear to everyone, this is my own opinion and I'm not going to think any less of you for voicing yours in a comment. :)
no subject
Date: 2007-02-08 04:56 pm (UTC)While I passionately hate this government, I don't automatically hate every decision they make. If they were to ban smoking outright, in open public spaces, or in peoples own homes, then they can fuck right off.
But I fail to see how it's unreasonable to deprive everyone else (in enclosed public spaces) of clean air, as has been the arrogant case right up until now. I look forward to going out more often without reeking of other peoples rancid poison afterwards.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-08 05:02 pm (UTC)My major issue with this is that it bans smoking in private clubs where people actually go to smoke and also bans smoking rooms at work places. For instance the smoking room where I work is actually one of the basement rooms which opens onto the carpark. As such when this ban kicks in I will not be allowed to smoke on site at all and will have to walk into town to have a cigarette and lawfully dispose of my cigarette butt.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-08 05:21 pm (UTC)I've no idea about private clubs explicitly for smoking in, but I'm quite pleased there's no exemptions - a pissy middle ground that suits nobody is typical of Blair's way, and would only serve to undermine the whole purpose. Suddenly everywhere would be a "private venue". I'm glad the middle ground wasn't chosen.
Now if only they'd been so serious over the hunting with dogs act...
no subject
Date: 2007-02-08 08:20 pm (UTC)Labour has ruined my dreams. I wonder if the cab of a steam locomotive counts as indoors...
no subject
Date: 2007-02-08 05:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-08 05:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-08 05:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-09 12:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-08 05:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-08 05:14 pm (UTC)Yes, the smoking ban has some downsides as well, but such laws only work in an "all or nothing" kind of way, and given that the majority of people would prefer to avoid others' smoke whenever possible, it doesn't seem like an unfair decision to me.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-08 05:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-08 05:57 pm (UTC)i think it was a best thing are shitty government ever did. Smoking indoors here leads to huge as fins to, along with littering or how ever u spell it. i beleive they are working on just ban smoking all together. it save on so much health care and i really hate smoking.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-08 06:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-08 08:12 pm (UTC)... But with tobacco taxed to buggery, if everyone DID stop smoking, the Government would lose billions of pounds in tax each year.
Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-09 12:12 am (UTC)No, I don't care that they ban it indoors. Although I do miss my greasy-spoon coffee-'n-smokes, I can get down on that. Don't want people with sensitive palletes gettin' all injured. :)
But, if you want to talk draconian, certain cities around here ban smoking everywhere, even outdoors. Now, that, well, let's just say that I vehemently break that law at every chance I get. And I love watching people scurry off after I tell them to go fuck themselves when they get all huffy about it.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-09 09:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-09 09:21 am (UTC)If only Wakefield Council had such fore thought.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-09 10:51 pm (UTC)It's not that I actually *mind* people smoking; that's fine with me. But I do mind that there's no way for me to escape it, at least when I want to go to pubs, clubs and the like. (I usually don't, of course, but the smoke is actually part of the reason for that.)
Some places are actually taking a step in the right direction by creating smoking and non-smoking zones, but since there typically isn't anything that'd actually keep the smoke from creeping over to the non-smoking zones, it's really just window dressing. I wouldn't complain if there were actually separate rooms for smokers and non-smokers, for example.
But of course, that's only what it's like in Germany; I don't know about the UK. :) And we don't have a smoking ban law here, either - there was supposed to be one, but the tobacco industry lobby still has too much influence and managed to keep it from being passed.
Ah well. I do agree about litter bins, though - these *should* be provided in ample numbers so that people who want to smoke outside actually have a chance to do so.
*snugs*
no subject
Date: 2007-02-10 09:18 pm (UTC)On the other hand, I'll still say it's the responsibility of a person who's just smoked a cigarette to dispose of the waste like a responsible citizen, just the same as after someone's finished a bottle or can of drink or a sandwich that came in a wrapper. They should take their rubbish with them and throw it away next time they pass a bin, for goodness' sake. I do - it's not at all difficult or inconvenient and I don't see any excuse for dropping rubbish on the ground.
Anyway, that's just my little rant. ;)