Smoking

[Schiehallion]

You're not comparing like with like. Nicotine is immediately addictive. The use of alcohol runs the full gamut from taking the occasional glass of wine, through having a pint several times a week right up to full scale addiction. I agree totally that alcohol abuse is a serious problem, particularly in Scotland, but I feel that in many respects it is a different issue and it is rather simplistic to combine the two.

You may underestimate how many social smokers there are out there. People who just enjoy a smoke only in the evening or even from one weekend to the next. However there are more addicts to nicotine than to alcohol. Of course you don't need to be addicted to alcohol to chib a guy standing at a bus stop!

One of the main reasons it is a different issue is that plenty of MP's. MSP's etc drink. And indeed drive cars which is why the traffic pollution that is giving kids asthma is not an issue either.

Believe it or not I drive a car, I drink and I don't smoke. But I refuse to be a hyopcrite, unlike my MSP's, who want to vilify smokers as the lepers of the 21st century whilst hardly paying even lip service to addressing the problems of fat weans, drunk wife beaters and junkie house breakers.

[Flyingscot]

I totally agree with Schiehallion bring back Margret Thatcher at least she had an ideology, not like these Lilly livered politicians
of today, who only follow opinion polls to maintain or gain power which is all they care about.

[url]Bytheway has this got anything to do with you http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/r ... iehallion/[/url]

No not MT the milk snatcher.....

The person who sent our transport networks down the tube, believed road transport could cope, and has to shoulder some of the blame for the house price rises of today. At least the politions of today aren't as set in there ways and follow public thinking!

[Schiehallion]

Bytheway has this got anything to do with you http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/r ... iehallion/

Well I didn't leave it there but I've named myself after it yes.

Come down the road from Struan and Trinafour and the view of Schiehallion can be breathtaking. The most amazing mountain in Scotland. And as that article states, the very place where the mass of the Earth was established. From some angles it can look like a giant pyramid.

It's the very centre of mainland Scotland. Calculated by the scientific method of cutting out the mainland map of Scotland, pasting it to cardboard and balancing it on a pin. The centre of balance is Schiehallion.

[allyharp]

By going to non-smoking pubs, restaurants, cinema etc etc you can guarantee getting away from smoke.

Unfortunately though the ratio of smoking to non smoking pubs doesn't quite match the smokers to non-smokers figures. What percentage of people smoke? I haven't heard any figures mentioned for a few years but it's under half anyway. How many non-smoking pubs are there in Glasgow? I can only think of a handful.
Cinemas don't seem to be a problem - I've never been to one where you can smoke - and neither are restaurants as they at least have seperate smoking areas.

Of the non-smoking population, the people affected most by this will be those working in bars and clubs. I know myself, as someone with athsma, that I certainly wouldn't be able to work in a smoking pub. When the new regulations come in I can at least look forward to some increased job prospects.

[Simba]

[Apologies for having to post this in two parts as it won't post one big long post!]

Not everyone who drinks is a danger to others. But every smoker can harm someone.

And indeed drive cars which is why the traffic pollution that is giving kids asthma is not an issue either.

I never used to have asthma until I was around 13 or 14. And it certainly wasn't anything to do with pollution that brought it on. I have a chlorine allergy and as a result of many many years as a competitive swimmer, it has damaged my lungs pretty badly. Now, there's very little evidence out there to warn people of this, but look at the evidence there is to prove how dangerous passive smoking can be? So why can't the government have this ban to protect people, when they know it is dangerous? If people want to smoke, then it's their life that they are going to potentially damage, but I don't believe innocent people who want to be social should be made to bear these risks too.

[Simba]

Was at a football match today (less said about it the better) and there were several people around me smoking. Why should I have to be exposed to that, just because I want to support my team? Also, it was an away game so I had no choice to go to a non smoking stand or area like some stadiums have already.

Roll on March I say.

[The Mighty R I D E]

am really a sosical smoker masel. skin upreally in pals andhooses. thing is amd no abakkie smoker but if a do its really looseleaf , a can see where yes acoming from and hopes yes aw live and let live like the bond film

[HollowHorn]

Oh! It's a joint then? I always assumed it was a large artificial penis sitting next to your heavily mustachioed fizzer, wiz a wrang wink:

[Schiehallion]

Unfortunately though the ratio of smoking to non smoking pubs doesn't quite match the smokers to non-smokers figures. What percentage of people smoke? I haven't heard any figures mentioned for a few years but it's under half anyway. How many non-smoking pubs are there in Glasgow? I can only think of a handful.

Yes, that's why I said 95% smoke free - a very generous ratio. Just because around 2/3rd's of the population don't smoke is no excuse for having every single pub in the land non-smoking. Surely?

[Schiehallion]

Was at a football match today (less said about it the better) and there were several people around me smoking.

You've got me now Simba!! It's either Dundee, Ayr Utd, Albion Rovers or Aberdeen at an outside bet. I'll go for Dundee at New Broomfield?

[Simba]

Aberdeen

[Schiehallion]

As a Hibby I was rootin for you today.

[Simba]

As usual, they were cheating bastards. A Don sent off and a penalty given for a challenge outside the box, stonewall penalty denied for us. I hate Hearts! Well done to Hibs, nice to see Rangers out but I fear our meeting with them on Wednesday now.

[crusty_bint]

Why should we all have to suffer for match-day disrupton and then the binge drinking and near riots that often follow? Why should hospital staff suffer abuse at the hands of drunks and junkies? Why should pensioners who haven't smoked a day in thier life be left on a trolly in an A&E for over an hour because theres a queue of drink related injuries and some drunk has head butted a female nurse and has had to be restrained by three porters and a doctorWhy should we wait over an hour on a saturday for a police response because our city-centres need half the force garrisoned ther? This is a tired debate already, the bans happening while the real issues affcting our society are being quite happily side-stepped coz they're too difficult to deal with.

I've said I agree that non-smokers deserve the right to cigarette-smoke-free air, but I don't agree with choices being taken away from people. I wouldnt be surprised if they extended the terrorism act to cover people smoking pubs!

ffff... "Scottish Politics and policy"... don't make me laugh.

[Schiehallion]

Why should we all have to suffer for match-day disrupton and then the binge drinking and near riots that often follow?

Thing is Crusty, the powers that be are more than aware of the passive damage drink can cause. A hotel full of people could've been killed thanks to a pished Lord! If he'd just dropped a fag they'd be screaming about the dangers of smoking in public buildings. But he was pished. He went to jail and alcohol walked free with no-one talking about the dangers of alcohol.

Secondary alcohol damage and internal cumbustion engine pollution will always be acceptable because, unlike smoking, more than 33% do it.

I said it away back in this thread - hypocrisy.