Smoking in restaurants

[delilahcat]

There's a question below asking about smoking, in which an ABer says there's no demand for non-smoking restaurants. Please will everyone give their view on whether they would like a ban on smoking in enclosed public places, particularly in restaurants?

[Sasha13]

FP doesn't want one probably, but I'm about to have one with all the stress of talking about banning smoking - care to join me?!?!?!

[Sasha13]

Although, Artful, in fairness, I think FP was trying to help you out and explain a topic that I don't think anyone on the site fully understands - not least me

[FP]

I was only trying to help and be nice as Sasha13 points out.  Shan't bother again!!  Smoking must make you grumpy!!

[FP]

and anyway we posted at the same time because I hadn't seen your apology!

Grumpy myself now  :o(

[Artful]

Yeah ta, I will.

[flaming]

Well, FP, the screen shows me with 'Report this Answer' against every posting.  Perhaps I'll get one on your screen.  Thanks for explaining that.   I was mystified, but I still am as to why? Does one or more persons themselves on the thread object to us all speaking? If so, why be on the thread? 

re the smoking ban:  It's only a question of time as I read somewhere recently that the first cases of staff claiming against the pub. chains for exposing them to passive smoking are  coming in so insurers won't insure against that, thus pub. managers will have to ban.  Has anyone else seen that? Anyway, our only truly local has been turned from a pub.pub. to a gastro-pub. in the last 2 years.  I don't suppose for a minute that any choice between ciggies and grub (at the prices they charge) would present much difficultyto the managers. It is ironic that I gave up fags for many years and having started again in recent times, it coincided with the current crackdown on smoking!

[Sasha13]

That was my point in an earlier post Flaming - how on earth can bar staff launch compensation claims against pubs for exposing them to passive smoking when they knew what the work would entail when they accepted the job?? The compensation culture that this country is adopting makes my blood boil.

"Hello, Madam have you had an accident in the last three years that wasn't your fault?"

"No, I always look like this"

has become my favourite response to the street hustlers posing as employees of compensation companies that regularly acost me whilst trying to go about my daily business :-( rant over. I need another fag.

[secretspirit]

I would ban it from all public places. I went out with my husband for an anniversary meal this week and the people on the tables behind and in front of us felt the need to smoke before, during and after their meals. Especially considering I'm 38 weeks pregnant it made for a horrible atmosphere to sit in and the so-called air conditioning made very little difference. I hate breathing other people's smoke and would support a ban 100%. Normally I'm all for the right and freedom to do what you want but when it hurts other people's health then I'm afraid I feel you should do it in the privacy of your own home or not at all!

[FP]

Agreed.

[Cathy]

To start offf with I'd like to say that I'm a non-smoker and I hate breathing other people's smoke. However there is no scientific proof that second hand smoke will affect your health (the only report on it was discredited as "cherry picking" the results that fitted their conclusion). Therefore I believe that smoking should not be banned. I do think that smoking and non-smoking areas should be self contained. I hate having to walk through a smoking area to get to the non-smoking area, only to have the smoke drift over.

[Artful]

Beautifully said, Cathy.

[landie]

If first hand smoke is harmful then it it pretty certain that second hand smoke is too. I am not aware of any scientific study that says it isn't. The makers of cigarettes put a notice on the packets that ''cigarettes kill''. Why inflict a death sentence on your fellow man even if you are a committed smoker yourself?

Smokers who light up in the company of others without a by your leave or a polite 'may I' are uncaring and self important egotists.

[Hippy]

It is long overdue and high time that stinking smoking was cleared out of public places. Why not have special sealed up smoking dens where those who really want to bust their lungs can do so without putting the rest of us to inconvenience, subjecting us to nauseating stench, and threatening our health.

[milly143]

Why don't we just ban everything and all live in sealed containers for the rest of our lives.

[Artful]

I think that's where the world is going, milly143. Mind you that way there could be no more moaning or griping or whining or... Could there?

[ICEMANSAV]

I am a smoker. I agree that there needs to be better areas for smokers and non smokers. I don't agree with a complete ban however. I would always wait until the table next to me has finished eating and if there are several tables then I would ask if it would bother them. As someone else points out children are the most annoying feature of any pub/ restaurant and if there are screaming kids running around I will smoke on purpose.

[misska]

If there is no scientific proof that second hand smoke will affect your health why then are governments (and even some businesses) around the world are starting to worry about worry about future litigation from the staff of pubs etc. Indeed, there have been some cases where the staff have won their case and been awarded compensation. I haven't done research on the individual studies on the affects of second hand smoking on health but I think if there was no scientific proof then these people wouldn't be winning their cases. The smoking ban protects non-smokers but it also encourages (and even enables) smokers to give up or at least cut down. I think society should give the message that smoking an unacceptable habit because it is harmful to smoker and non-smoker alike.

I am a very happy Irish non-smoker and I think the smoking ban is the best thing that has happened in Ireland in a long time. I am quite proud of the fact that we are one of the first countries in Europe to introduce it and I am impatiently awaiting its introduction to the rest of Europe. By the way one of the not so obvious advantages of the smoking ban for smokers it that because all the smokers go outside to smoke they have a better chance of scoring at the pub. If I were single I might even consider taking up smoking just to give me an excuse to meet people. When I have more time I might do a bit of research on the scientific evidence and get back to you.

[silly moo]

No don't ban.
Have quite separate areas / rooms / restaurants.
Also need GOOD extraction - air conditioners not really the answer.