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Smoking ban review urged by Euro-MP
Reporter: DAWN MARSDEN
Date online: 12 August 2010
AN Oldham Euro-MP is calling for a review into the smoking ban in pubs and clubs across the country.
Paul Nuttall is writing to every MP in the North-West urging them to support a call for a review into the legislation which was introduced in July, 2007.
An early day motion — the parliamentary equivalent of a petition in which MPs can canvass support but have little chance of having the matter debated — put forward by Brian Binley MP is asking for this review and Mr Nuttall is urging every member of parliament to support it.
Mr Nuttall, who represents the UK Independence Party, said: “This motion is an excellent move and long overdue. You only have to consider the thousands of public houses that have closed since the ban was introduced to see why it is needed.
“The proposal calls for the Government to conduct a thorough review, supported by consultation with all parties and affected business sectors, on the impact the smoking ban has had on public houses and private members clubs.
“Mr Binley suggests the legislation should be amended by allowing segregated smoking areas inside such premises. That is the policy that the UKIP has advocated ever since the ban came in.
“Pubs are at the heart of local communities and we believe the smoking ban has played a major part in the closure of so many of them.
“And they are still closing, at the rate of 39 per week. A total of 2,365 pubs shut down last year meaning the loss of 24,000 jobs.”
He added: “The Labour party said in their 2005 manifesto that they would not introduce a complete smoking ban.
“After they did, ministers promised to review it three years after it came into force on July 1, 2007.
“That review does not appear to be forthcoming and it essential that it does happen.
“This motion has cross-party support and I am writing to all the MPs in the North-West urging them to sign up to it.”
Comments
We need more MPs to show some common sense over the ill thought out Smoking ban,it is killing our Hospitality Industry and needs to be Reformed to allow All people choice,smoker and non smoker alike,Pubs and Clubs should be the ones to say smoking or non smoking,after all,it is their private Business and the way they earn a living,as we can see from other Euro countries where they offer Choice their business is a success.Prohibition does not work,Choice does.
Pubs that do not serve food (except crisps, nuts, scratchings etc), should allow smoking if the licensee permits it. Should these pubs wish to provide a tray of sandwiches etc for say a darts match, then that trading session should be non-smoking. In smoking pubs, children should not be allowed on or in the premises.
Pubs that do serve food (or allow children ion the premises - including external areas) should remain non-smoking even if food is only served for part of the trading period.
Yet more evidence that fringe parties elected under the silly Pro Rep rules come up with some very silly thoughts!
The reason there had to be a smoking ban was because smokers could not control their addiction, several times there were smokers in non smoking areas because they believed that they shouldn't have any no go areas.
I'm sure people like Tug Wilson would not want to compensate anyone for ruining their health, and not being able to control where their smoke goes.
As for people having choice, what nonsense! Once one pub allows smoking then they all have to, you only need one selfish smoker in a group to force everyone else to follow them into smoking pubs only.
Smoking is a drug addicition, it often leads to other drug addicitons. Smokers are unable to even have the courtesy to get up and go outdoors to indulge their addiciton. There is no prohibition, only a ban on smoking in public indoor places, what's so wrong about that?
If this filthy habit is allowed back in pubs then it could be eventually spread to all public places again and we'll be back to square one. Since the ban many people have given up smoking altogether and I dont think they would want to drink in that vile choking atmosphere again and what about the fire risk? Messrs Binley and Nuttall should turn their attention to improving the Nations health and not pander to the "poor" licensed trade.
If smoking is allowed, even in restricted areas, the smoke will still drift outside of those boundaries and effect the rest of those who do not want a ban on clean air to be imposed !
On another point, when will the authorities start imposing punishments on smokers who just throw their cigarette ends onto the floor ? People have been fined for throwing litter on the fllor, so what's the difference ?
Let,s face it. The ban has been an absolute failure. It should have been done as in Nu-labour,s manifesto and given everyone a choice. The whole thing has been contrived to create an irrational fear while I guess many who supported this were people who did,nt go to pubs. Forcing people to stop at home was not the answer. Another fine mess for the coalition to sort out.
Geronimo
Smokers don't think that smoking is a "filthy habit" they smoke because they like and choose to, as for non smokers going for a drink in a "vile choking atmosphere",why would they do that,surely they would choose a non smoking pub.
Flake
Why do you think that All Pubs would be smoking pubs again if they were allowed to choose ? is it because they only comply with the smoking ban law because of the Threat they have had put on them. Choice for All Flake,thats Fair.
The smoking ban should be retained. The high prices,and not the lack of smoking facilities, is the real cause of lost business. It's great to be able to have a drink in a pub and go home knowing that your clothes don't reek of stale tobacco.
I know many smokers who feel 'it's a filthy habit' and they wish they could give up and when they go to the pub they do manage to refrain from smoking. It's only when they go home that they light up.
Tug, there is no choice for all, it's an all or nothing situation I'm afraid. As you have said yourself you would avoid pubs which were non smoking, and force anyone with you to go to a smoking pub, that's the way smokers are. Any non smoking pub would be out of business very quickly.
If you want to smoke now, you have to go outside for 10 minutes, what's so unreasonable about that? If I want to avoid your smoke on the other hand I have to spend all night outside.
I think the ban is fair.
Flake : "Smoking is a drug addicition, it often leads to other drug addicitons" What an absolutely stupid comment. There is no evidence, empirical or anecdotal, that you can supply to support that statement.
As for smoking or not in pubs, the Spanish tend to ignore the law and the French have plenty of pavement seating allowing smoking although some bars ignore the ban. It seems these two have a more grown up attitude than the fascist anti-smokers in this country.
Peter, Nicotine is a drug,that is a scientific fact as is Heroin, cannabis etc. I know many smokers would be affronted were they to be tagged with the label of addict but as they are ingesting the drug daily and show symptoms of withdrawal when they attempt to stop its hard to argue against it. Smoke as much as you like, thats fine, but dont put others in the position where they have share your noxious addiction just by being in the same room.
Geronimo, my point to Flake was the remark about smoking leading to other drug addictions, a nonsensical remark. As for a smoking ban, there are plenty of air filtration & extraction systems available that will prevent the return of the the old smoke filled tap rooms. I'm a smoker & I never liked those rooms. However, anti-smoking fascists were never willing to compromise & their intractable views have helped cause the current hard times for pubs. Some smokers are addicts, some of us social.
If the ban is lifted, I will have to again avoid pubs because of the smoke.
Why should I have to breath in someone's habit?
The No-Smoking ban over here in Singapore does not appear to have affected business in bars and that despite alcohol prices being so high. Even at a (so-called) 'Happy Hour' you will be paying over 6 quid a pint and in many places you will be expected to pay something like 12 quid or more. You don't see many drunks either.
You can drink in the 'Kopitiam' where drinks are much cheaper but these are cafes/eating houses rather than pubs and even there 'drunks' are a rare sight.
Sorry Peter but the vast majority of Canabis is smoked, usually with tobacco as a filler. As Canabis is sold by drug dealers they have a route to supply harder drugs.
according to the figures of NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse) "People who abuse drugs are also likely to be cigarette smokers. More than two-thirds of drug abusers are regular tobacco smokers, a rate more than triple that of the rest of the population."
I think that's enough empirical & anecdotal evidence don't you?
Flake, no I don't. Your quote refers to drug users who also smoke tobacco. That doesn't support your claim that tobacco is a gateway drug. How many tobacco smokers then decide that tobacco isn't enough and move on to other drugs? That's the definition of a gateway drug i.e. it leads to other, harder/stronger drugs. If NIDA said two thirds of tobacco smokers abuse drugs as a result of smoking tobacco, that would support your claim.
Tobacco is classified as a gateway drug no matter which way you choose to dress it up and my original comment is not 'nonsensical' nor 'stupid' the reality is that there is only 1/3rd of drug users who are not smokers.
For the vast majority of addicts, tobacco is the route into it.
How about this for another statistic though 60% of smoker suffer with mental illness and 70% of schitzophrenics smoke tobacco.
Have Your Say
Pubs were closing at an alarming rate before the smoking ban, many because of high prices, low profit margins and huge overheads. People are drinking more at home these days and the heavy drinking youngsters go clubbing. No pub will remain profitable with a few old codgers sipping their couple of pints all evening.
It's a plesaure to go into pubs now without having to breathe filthy, cancerous fumes from weak-willed fools who cannot survive a few hours without their nicotine dummies.
By Road Rocket @ 12/08/2010 12:30:31