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Tuumble · 06-19-2007, 10:11 PM

On July the 1st there will be an all-out ban on smoking public places in England.

The basic premise behind the new law is to protect employees and the public from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.

It will be against the law to smoke in virtually all enclosed and substantially enclosed public places and workplaces.
Public transport and work vehicles used by more than one person will also need to be smokefree.
No-smoking signs will have to be displayed in all smokefree premises and vehicles.
Staff smoking rooms and indoor smoking areas will no longer be allowed, so anyone who wants to smoke will have to go outside.
Managers of smokefree premises and vehicles will have legal responsibilities to prevent people from smoking.
If you are uncertain where you can or can’t smoke, just look for the no-smoking signs or ask someone in charge.

I am a non-smoker and am understandably very pleased to see the legislation introduced. There is nothing worse than having another person’s smoke inflicted on you especially in a restaurant environment.

It is interesting to note that no matter how long you know someone and how close you are to them it is still very difficult to ask that person to refrain from smoking. By the same token it does surprise me when people light up without asking for permission.

Curiously, even when asked, many will still still say: ‘Yeah fine, go ahead.’ when secretly they hate it.

This says something very interesting about people that they will allow this to happen and yet they will complain and feel victimised when the smoker concerned is out of ear-shot.

Some statistics and data

Personally I am amazed that this law ever got passed in the first place. I guess it had to happen sooner or later but considering the revenues generated by tax on smokers it’s still surprising it happened so quickly. However, if we compare these figures with those needed to treat smoke related illnesses it is, if we’re honest, a bit of a no brainer.

In the US alone for every packet of cigarettes you can add $8.00 that society pays for medical and lost productivity costs. A total of $3780 each year is attributed to every single smoker in the country equating to $160 billion in smoking health-related costs.

In 2005 $13 billion from tobacco taxes contributed to US state budgets but with 2.8 billion fewer packs being smoked compared to a decade earlier governments’ are having to rethink how they fund national and local community services.

Perhaps the most staggering statistic is that while 6 million people died during the 5 year Jewish Holocaust over 15 million people died worldwide from the effects of smoking over the same time period.

There is some good news because that certainly in the West the message is starting to get through. In Australia for instance a quarter of all adults smoked in 1993 which was slashed to 17% just 12 years later. There’s still a long way to go but it’s a start.

Are you smoker? What do you think of the new legislation? Will it encourage you to give up?

I've written a fuller article on my blog for those who'd like to read it.

06-19-2007, 10:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tuumble Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Peterborough, UK Posts: 564	England Smoking ban: 1st July On July the 1st there will be an all-out ban on smoking public places in England. The basic premise behind the new law is to protect employees and the public from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. It will be against the law to smoke in virtually all enclosed and substantially enclosed public places and workplaces. Public transport and work vehicles used by more than one person will also need to be smokefree. No-smoking signs will have to be displayed in all smokefree premises and vehicles. Staff smoking rooms and indoor smoking areas will no longer be allowed, so anyone who wants to smoke will have to go outside. Managers of smokefree premises and vehicles will have legal responsibilities to prevent people from smoking. If you are uncertain where you can or can’t smoke, just look for the no-smoking signs or ask someone in charge. I am a non-smoker and am understandably very pleased to see the legislation introduced. There is nothing worse than having another person’s smoke inflicted on you especially in a restaurant environment. It is interesting to note that no matter how long you know someone and how close you are to them it is still very difficult to ask that person to refrain from smoking. By the same token it does surprise me when people light up without asking for permission. Curiously, even when asked, many will still still say: ‘Yeah fine, go ahead.’ when secretly they hate it. This says something very interesting about people that they will allow this to happen and yet they will complain and feel victimised when the smoker concerned is out of ear-shot. Some statistics and data Personally I am amazed that this law ever got passed in the first place. I guess it had to happen sooner or later but considering the revenues generated by tax on smokers it’s still surprising it happened so quickly. However, if we compare these figures with those needed to treat smoke related illnesses it is, if we’re honest, a bit of a no brainer. In the US alone for every packet of cigarettes you can add $8.00 that society pays for medical and lost productivity costs. A total of $3780 each year is attributed to every single smoker in the country equating to $160 billion in smoking health-related costs. In 2005 $13 billion from tobacco taxes contributed to US state budgets but with 2.8 billion fewer packs being smoked compared to a decade earlier governments’ are having to rethink how they fund national and local community services. Perhaps the most staggering statistic is that while 6 million people died during the 5 year Jewish Holocaust over 15 million people died worldwide from the effects of smoking over the same time period. There is some good news because that certainly in the West the message is starting to get through. In Australia for instance a quarter of all adults smoked in 1993 which was slashed to 17% just 12 years later. There’s still a long way to go but it’s a start. Are you smoker? What do you think of the new legislation? Will it encourage you to give up? I've written a fuller article on my blog for those who'd like to read it.