Forget Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and Tiger Tim, for Asthma UK this week is all about the Smoking Ban. Sunday 1 July promises to be a great day for people with asthma, as England finally joins the rest of the UK and the Republic of Ireland in going smoke free.
82% of people with asthma tell us that other people's cigarette smoke makes their symptoms worse. Surprisingly though, the percentage of people with asthma who smoke (22%) is only slightly lower than the percentage of smokers for the general population (24%).
How does everyone feel about the smoking ban? Are you excited / apprehensive / indifferent? And if you're a smoker with asthma, will the ban inspire you to kick the habit?
And if you want say something about Gordon, Tony or Tiger, we'll welcome your comments on those subjects too!
I will be very happy - I haven't been out to a pub propperly for a good evening out for a long time.
I may go out and have a good drink!
I have felt excluded from a lot of things - more or less a good social life - because I can't stay in a faggy atmosphere for more than 30 seconds.
Yipppeeeeee!
Kate
I cannot applaud the smoking ban enough - on a personal level, as Kate says, I am looking forwards to being able to get a social life back, be able to go to the pub more and not suffer the consequences, and to be able to accompany Steve to his gigs without having to do strategic planning regarding which venues I ""can"" or ""can't"" go to.
On a professional level, it's astounding the number of people I've seen requesting help with smoking cessation over the past few weeks. It seems to have really given a lot of people the push they needed to kick the habit.
The smoking ban is excellent but I have found on my visits to pubs where the ban is already in effect that I have become far more aware of aftershave/perfumes/deoderants that even men these days douse their carcasses with-when your local Wetherspoons is choc-a-bloc at the weekends you will be surprised at how quickly that level of aerosols starts to irritate-maybe its just me-hope so!!
-dont want to spoil others enjoyment!!
Can't agree enough with the smoking ban. It will be great to get some sort of a social life back!
Even my two sisters who both smoke are all for the ban - one works in a pub and the other in a casino and they will enjoy coming home and not stinking of smoke.
Roll on 1st July
Em H
yahoo :)) me really happy , at last smoking ban here , cool , so pleased , hope it encouages people to stop , wish it was alot sooner for my antie my mums sister , she died at the age of 36yrs because of smoking lung cancer , it not nice seeing family die of it when your a child, I wish more of my family did not smoke ,
pleased I do not smoke , I see too many people die of cancer when at work , it's not nice for the person and the familys , so I think it's really great the ban here at last :))
take care everyone xx
It cant come soon enough for me especially with new found self confidence to go out more, it means can meet friends like peeps said before for a meal or a drink without having to worry if smoke will set chest off or someones naked flame will blow me and o2 cylinder up!!!!!
i am so excited!!! Like many others, I will now be able to go into a pub with friends without having to worry about my asthma and without them having to worry about me!
Also, I hope to go to university soon, it would be a completely different experience if smoking was still allowed indoors :o)
A few of the places I regularly play at have been making a big deal about the smoking ban. Our local Conservative club has erected a smoking shelter that is behind the building (and thus a long way from any of the entrances) so as to be able to direct smokers away from the building altogether. Bonus! The club I was at last night have decided to run ""stop smoking"" sessions in the function room every Tuesday; the first one was two weeks ago. Cunning, and a way of profiting from the ban whilst also helping the health of the members - they're not charging for the sessions, but they serve food every evening so they're no doubt hoping people will ""make a night of it"".
Of course, there's always one idiot who tries (and fails) to get around the ban:
Peaksteve - Wonder if he has actually spoken to his clientelle to see what they really want. I suppose his next plan is to make it a private building with exclusive membership then they can possibly do what they like regarding the ban. There always has to be one who doesn't wnat to conform to rules doesn't there!
Even private clubs with exclusive membership aren't exempt from the ban - hence PeakSteve's mention of the local Conservative Club.
We have had to put up a No Smoking sign in our front porch (yes, really!) because, due to Steve's work, sometimes clients will visit our house. Which is Steve's workplace. And is visited, therefore, by the general public...mad, isn't it.
Doesn't anyone else think that some of these pub/club owners are looking at the ban in rather the wrong way? I don't think the fact that people can't smoke in their local will put them off going there. People don't go to the pub just in order to smoke. Also, for those few who *do* stop going due to the ban, think of the number of people who will now start going to pubs and clubs because they're not going to be choked?!
Hmm I less convinced that a total ban is such a good idea. They would have been better allowing a few places to have a smoking licence. I braved town just now (well parked outside a shop went in and then went home) it was next to a cafe where they have this week enforced the smoking ban and had to dodge people popping outside on the street smoking! At least before I could have avoided that cafe, now they are outside in numbers right next to one of my favourite shops.
I think I would have gone for the option of council being able to licence one or 2 pubs/cafes in a town to be smoking ones. I really forsee problems with people having to go out in the street to spark up. I am not looking forward to leaving football matches now all those who have had to wait 90 minutes will take one step out of the door and spark up cos the local club won't open the doors at half time and allow smokers to go outside to have a fag.
Bex
Ps the House of Parliament don't have to comply as a royal Palace they are above the law, they can choose to comply but they don't have to! I remember once having to walk over joists to get my office cos they had the floor up, everywhere else health and safety would have gone mad but it does not apply in the Palace of Westminster, same way as so long as the House was sitting the bars were open before there was 24 hour drinking
Bex
I'm not really up the rules but I was surprised to read that you cant smoke at football matches - is that not considered open air or is your ground totally enclosed?
The ban started over a year ago in scotand and i have to say it is the best thing that ever happened. simple things like going into my work canteen (which is fairly small with four tables that seat around 8 people - there was a seperate smoking one but everyone felt the smoke.), going to clubs and pubs etc is sooo much nicer - everyone is going to notice a difference - i use my inhalors a lot less on nights out now - in fact i only ever really need them if the smoke machines are set off! lol. xx
The ban deffo applies to football clubs I am season ticket holder at one and I know the poor person who has had to advise places like football blubs about the ban. Remember that football club is for those who play, manage and run the back room a place of work!
Bex
It will be great when the smoking ban comes into place, I can finaly go to bars, pubs etc without having an asthma attack!!!!! it will be a bit of pain to have everyone smoking on the streets though, maybe they should just make smoking illegal, lol!!!!
Changes, changes, changes.
Isn't that what Gordon Brown was harping on about yesterday at short pontificating and extremely dour length?!
Back to July 1st. There is a link!
The changes that will take place after 1 July can only be described as positive both for smokers and none smokers.
On a personal level I've never smoked but have diagnosed mild COPD as an added 'bonus' on top of severe lifelong asthma (This condition -COPD -often affects smokers. ) However in future social situations, especially pub type and being able to listen to middle son and his band in previously had- to leave- after- short time listening re smoky live venues( Don't think he noticed!) can't wait.
As for smoking - middle son suffers from asthma and smokes - he will HAVE to reduce his smoking. So his asthma WILL improve. As will asthma probs of other family and friends who smoke and have asthma.
Can't wait for 1 July.
Mia
PS Just skim read previous posts. Are we all would be closet pub boozers or what?
Answers in a glass of red or pint of beer!
Mia - yes - but more for the mere social interaction rather than the alcohol.
Cracking idea this smoking ban. I'm meeting a friend in Wetherspoons on the harbourside on Tuesday and normally we have to go through the smoke to get to the non-smoking section which is at the far end of the building. Never understood the logic behind that decision so to go in and breathe clean air throughout without having to worry about the consequences will be liberating to say the least. Well done the government. Just don't leave us behind on these developments again.
I had a thought. Perhaps we should all get the no smoking stickers to put in the windows of our homes and or cars but with an extra 'wooohooo!' underneath?
wotcha think? :oD
Christine
I really can't wait for this smoking ban. Part of my job means that I, and the two ladies that work with me (none of us smoke) have had to go into the smoking room at work.
For the last 2 1/2 years I have had a really bad time with my asthma. In the end, when no-one at work seemed to want to do anything about us having to go into that room, I told my boss that if the company was not prepared to take my health and safety into consideration then I would. So I refused to go into the smokers room until something was done. After a few weeks it was decided that they would close the room for 15 minutes a day. Long enough for us to do what we had to do.
Roll on Sunday.
well i cant wait ... shame it dont apply to my house i wish my mum wud stop smokin ...
I can't wait for the smoking ban. Shame its not in house's. But i think this will really help people. I am excited that it is happening and i don't have to breath in other people's smoke the whole time, Including my friends and i really hope people cut down.
I thought it was wonderful when the smoking ban came in in Scotland. It was basically the first time I had been able to eat out in cafe's with my little girl. The only downfall like Bex says is that quite often groups of people will be standing in the doorways smoking and then we've got to walk through the smoke to get in.
Maybe it would've been better to allow some smoking places but then I suppose that would defeat the purpose and lead to more arguements about it.
Anyway enjoy your smoke free meals and drinks now folks.
Angela - indeed, I think he will try and get around the ban any way he can, but his problem is that no matter what his pub is actually classed as, it will be someone's place of work and thus the ban will apply!
TODAY IS THE DAY we have ALL been waiting for!!!!!
At last don't have to worry about how near the smoking section is when we go out for a meal! Went for a lovely Thai meal a few weeks ago and specifically asked for non-smoking. The smoking section was 6 tables near the window with a tiny partition that was even head height when seated. As soon as someone lit up it drifted over towards the door where the non-smiker tables were. How can people smoke and eat at the same time? Yukkkkkkkkkkkk!
Went out today with a friend and it was a bit strange not having to find the seats the furthest away from the smoke but it was great and I'll be doing this a lot more now. It was pretty quiet (this was at lunchtime) and it's going to be interesting to see how Wetherspoons are affected tomorrow morning. Wonder how busy it's going to be Friday night? Got a good reason to go out - all in the name of research of course.
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