What experiences have you had since the smoking ban??

Question

Since the smoking ban ive noticed a new problem occuring with it. Drunken smokers being forced outside causing problems on the streets....

On saturday afternoon there was a fight outside a bar in piccadilly gardens in manchester where two drunk white guys were hurling racial abuse at a black guy, and started physically beating him up. it was horrible, this only happened because these drunk knobs were forced onto the street to smoke. Also i can no longer walk to my local shop without tw@ts stood outside the pub shouting comments at me. so annoying....

sadly i dont think the smoking ban was completely thought through.....what are your experiences...??

Answer 1

i am a smoker but the smoking ban hasn't bothered me (for myself whilst i'm out) but i have to agree with you completely with the whole nipping to the corner shop! i popped to my corner shop the other day, it was only about 9:45pm and i needed some milk as i forgot to get it during the day, i oftern pop out late to get milk and have been doing this for many years yet now i don't like doing it because i have to walk past the pub and all the drunk smokers (actually they don't even need to be drunk) are hailing abuse at me because their forced outside in groups to smoke, it has definately only started since the ban came in, i have been going to the shop for years and no one was ever standing outside in groups, maybe the odd bloke here and there on his mobile but no where near the amount there is now!

Answer 2

I've also noticed that there has been more trouble out on the streets.



Scotland stopped smoking over a year ago, before the smoking ban came in I was able to surprise my partner when I went up to visit and walk the two minutes from the train station to his house (past two pubs). But when the smoking ban came in I was no longer able to do this because of comments shouted at me by groups of people stood outside the bars.



And I have noticed the same thing now. I live across from a pub and the noise was fine. However now you constantly hear shouting from the groups of people stood outside having a cig!.



And I'm not saying that because I'm a none smoker. Because up until I got pregnant I was a smoker, and my partner is also a smoker and he agrees also, He agreed when the ban came into Scotland and now that he's in Manchester agrees here too. And It's not being said as "All smokers do this". It's that there is a lot more trouble when walking past a bar because of the groups of people stood outside having a smoke. And there wasn't this trouble before you was forced to stand outside.



And also Thomas B. You're saying for the goverment to stop the sales of tobacco. If you don;t smoke you don't need to buy it do you? I'm sure the sales aren't hurting you. And do you know how much you're taxes would rise if they did? The government make too much money from the sale of tobacco to stop it.

Answer 3

I am a non smoker but the partner of a smoker. I feel that the ban is unfair in some ways.Pubs and clubs should be allowed to choose if they are a non smoking pub or not, places where food is served I agree (and so would most smokers) should be smoke free. Cinemas,trains ,buses have been smoke free for years. I dont want to have to follow my partner outside from a pub if he wasnts a smoke , but I also dont want to be left sitting in a pub on my own while he does. EVERYONE smoker or not should be given the freedom to choose. There should be smokers areas for those who wish to and non smoking areas for those that dont. The government get enough money from those who smoke to line their own pockets from the taxes on cigs, they could be a little more thoughtful with the ban. My family will be flying from Gatwick soon usually we check in and then wander round the airport, duty free, go for a burger, my hubby can pop off for a cig in the designated areas before the flight. This year we will eat before we leave home, check in then hang around the front of the airport until our flight is called , then go through security and then board the plane. We are a family of 5 not including any duty free we would have probably spent £40-£50 in the airport before we flew, if every "smoking family "did this how much money would the airport loose over a year ? all because there is not a smokers area inside the airport. Makes you wonder.

Answer 4

Although I understand that none smokers have the right to go to the pub without having to breathe in smoke. However I think that the smokers should also be able to go to a pub without being forced out onto the streets AFTER paying their highly taxed price for a pint! You also say about the fighting and abuse you saw, this goes on in pubs every night of the week and not because people smoke its because of Drink. When was the last time you read the news and it said that someone had beaten someone up because they didnt have a packet of cigarettes! Pubs should have been allowed to choose to be none smoking, smoking or have a seperate room. I also want to know why its alright to breathe in car fumes from petrol and diesel, which is also polluting our atmosphere, but not cigarette smoke. Is the goverment going to ban cars from the road so we can all breathe FRESH AIR. I lost my grandfather in the second world war, he was a pilot, just one of millions fighting so that we could still have freedom and as far as I am concerned that also means freedom of choice for all not just the chosen few!! I am sick of this goverments strong arm tactics and the british people rolling over and accepting it. I am just one among many that applaud those pubs that are refusing to adhere to the ban however none smokers in those pubs areas will suffer and thats not fair either. There should have been choices perhaps the goverment that makes over 8 billion pounds a year in taxes from smokers, could offer landlords grants towards building sepeate rooms or perhaps installing the type of air conditioning systems they have in Japan that remove smoke, fumes etc., immediately from the atmosphere. Oh and just for the record I dont smoke!

Answer 5

My mate owns a pub which i help out at when needed. Friday night there seemed to be alot of passing trade, however, saturday night there was only a handful of people.



I do agree with the smoking ban (even though i am a social smoker), however i can't help but wonder what the 'knock on' effect of the ban will hold for the pub trade in the winter months. Will our pubs be reverting back to banks?

Answer 6

The smoking ban is the end of the British pub life and for what?



Smokers take years to die of the effects of their habit if they die of it at all yet the government say that pubs will become busy with all the none smokers and therefore they will survive, well I ask these few points.



Why is the government encouraging non-smokers to drink – after all death by smoking is not instant yet one bottle of any spirit taken in a short space of time will kill you – far, far quicker than smoking.



If there was such a big market for non-smokers why didn’t the big brewers invest in smoke free shelters for them years ago, after all in the long hot summer they could have sat outside – is it not case they do not want to go to the pub.



In my experience as a ex-pub landlord, non-smokers out with their friends always followed their smoking friends into the smoking area of the pub after finishing their meals, even if just one of the party smoked, why?



At the entrance to the public toilets, just up the road, is a sign informing us that it is illegal to smoke in them. This begs the question, if anyone was caught smoking in them, and they were fined, would the council its self get the higher fine for allowing them to do it, or, as I suspect would they turn a blind eye to themselves for not enforcing the ban. Then would they walk in anywhere they are not responsible for and start quoting the law dishing out fines left right and center?



Moving out of Britain is getting more tempting by the day

Answer 7

We've had it in Ireland for what seems like an age now and whatever teething problems you have - put up with it. Cigarette sales in Ireland have dropped by a substantial amount since the ban. As a smoker, I smoke less when I cannot smoke in the pub and I should be completely off them any day now. This is all good. The smoking ban works and is good.

Answer 8

I smoke and often go out to pubs late afternoon with my partner who doesnt smoke. Some local pubs still have ash trays on tables filled with sweets to keep your mind off going out side. i have noyiced that most pubs that we have visited have not been as busy, but customers still have a laugh in the same way as before. i dont think a smoking ban will cause trouble i think the men above who were fighting were just t@ats. i understand that people find it hard walking past a bar with drunken men out side but NOT all smokers are like this we are normal people with an addiction.

Answer 9

I live in Scotland where the smoking ban has been in force for over a year. Its Brilliant. At last asthmatics like myself can go out and not worry about the inconsiderate people who thought it was acceptable to smoke around other people (which in my view it most certainly is NOT whether there is a legal ban or not) There have been only benefits in Scotland. I have yet to see any violence arising because of people being outside smoking. The only people who are still complaining are a few smokers who are too selfish to consider the health of other people over their own filthy disguting habit and moan about having to go outside in the cold. Pubs are not suffering because peopel like myself who did not go to them before are now spending more time in there, eating there more often and drinking there more often, families are also spending more time in pubs during the day, whereas people with young children quite rightly kept them away from the clouds of smoke beforehand. I think its great that Enlgand has finally caught up - its about time.

Answer 10

I live in the US, in New Jersey and we have had a smoking ban in all restaurants and bars for a while now. So far, the only "problems" that I see are smokers just having to cope with day to day life like the rest of us. I don't really see why sitting through a meal without forcing others to breathe your filth is so hard.

Answer 11

I have experienced righteous indignation and sanctimony from non smokers.Suddenly smokers are fast becoming the lepers of modern society.What next,smoking causes global warming?I dont object to the smoking ban smokers have had it good for a long time now,but what i cant stand is all the hypocrisy shown by non smokers,especially ones who drive,i really enjoy walking to the shops and breathing in all those wonderful petrol and exhaust fumes.

Answer 12

the no smokin bans been in scotland for over a year now, how can u hav a complaint against sumthin that will 1-improve ur health

2-help u live longer

3-help u see kids longer

4-help u cut down on how many ciggies u smoke

end of the day, if ur not happy smoking outside pubs or venues, dont go, kill urself in ur own home ! (im a smoker 2) but i get on with it as best i can

Answer 13

gaeheatherslade - It really makes me laugh when people like you say that non-smokers OMG HAVE THE RIGHT to breathe in clean air and you dismiss smokers like they're 2nd class citizens. And anyway - rest of the population being able to breathe clean air? Cars, buses, motorbikes etc., all over the roads - ring any bells yet?

I know a non smoker who has lung problems and both him and his wife think the ban is stupid. As a point of reference - due to his condition, I never smoked near him - and I would do for any other person who asked.

I think pubs should be allowed to choose whether people can smoke in their premises or not.

Answer 14

The biggest problem is that all the pubs are now full of the idiots that used to use smoking as an excuse to stay at home, my local is now full of the stifling middle class morons that say 'ooh, at last now I can go out'. I'm not even a smoker but it was a much better place without them, grrr it makes me feel violent :O)

Answer 15

I am a smoker and think that the goverment did not think this through at all ,why did'nt they for instance have 1 half a pub smoking and the other non smoking this way everybody is happy no problem,must rememer over a third of england are smokers .they need to sort something out better for all of us

Answer 16

I think that those people would have ended up causing trouble whether there was a smoking ban or not!



Anyone who stops going out just because they can't have a "Smoke" are SAD....it must be really shallow if where you can smoke rules you life! I am a smoker myself and I find it now saves me money and stops my clothes from smelling the next day!

Answer 17

Greensea lady. where have you been for the last thirty years. You obviously don't get out much. Smoking in theatres and cinemas hasn't been allowed for nigh on twenty years and you didn't know. I think it is now more social since the ban as you now go outside and as you all have something in common you speak to each other. The only drawback is that you also have to breathe in the traffic fumes which have more chemicals than cigarette smoke. So where is the car ban or is that coming soon.

Answer 18

the smoking ban dosent bother me, as i have been trying to stop,but i think ist is taking away peoples rights and their freedom of choice to do as they like,we are being dictated to,by the goverment,age ago they used to have smoke rooms in pubs,so i dont see why they cant bring them back,winter will be here soon, and i dont think its fair to expect smokers to have to stand outside in the cold,i have noticed a fwe more people (non smokers)in the pub and club,but how long will they keep going out now its smoke free,not for long its new they will so tire of it, but the regulars that smoke are being treated like lepers and thats not right,smoking didnt bother half of the non smokers were i go and over half of them complain about ithe ban being wrong,its not about the ban its taking away peoples freedom of choice

Answer 19

only pleasant ones! it was such a lovely experience to walk into my local on the first sunday night and choose to sit where i liked and not get home stinking of smoke! i was out in manchester at the weekend and it was so lovely there too. what's the problem anyway? if scotland, wales and ireland can enforce it with little or no hassle why can't we? just deal with it and the world must surely be a marginally better place.

Answer 20

My experience's haven't been that bad. Ive only noticed that the locals pubs have been quite empty compared to before, I could just about find a seat but now I have had quite a choice. I do smoke but haven't let it stop me from going out but going outside & it start's to rain is quite annoying. Oh yeah getting a seat outside now is harded.

Answer 21

I dont live in a great area but this hasnt been made worse by the smoking ban. How stupid are you? Chill out. Take some deep breaths of clean air. That should do the trick.

P.S - Maybe you need to move to a better place

Answer 22

when i've been at a pub i've noticed people are sparking up every 2 seconds which is causing more problems than before and all of your friends and family are joining you just to carry on with the conversation so is it really safer than before. also i agree with the fact that people instead of drinking in the pubs are now drinking on the street and causing problems there. what is the point of the ban? is it really necessary or not? i dont get it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 23

Ah get real, you can't blame the smoking ban for racist trolls having a go at a black guy or shouting at you when you go to the shops. You never got shouted at before? Ever?

Answer 24

Y'know I'm getting tired of whining smokers complaining that they are being victimised, that the ban has not being thought through, that they should be allowed to smoke in half of a pub, that restaurants should have improved ventilation...What nonsense.



The ban HAS been thought through - the idea is to make you smoke outside - away from the rest of us who aren't stupid enough to smoke. It's to stop you inflicting your fumes on us because they are unpleasant and dangerous. No-one is actually stopping you from smoking - just from doing it where it makes the rest of us suffer. Go outside and do it - it's dirty.



It's not that smokers are being opressed, it's that normal people (none-smokers) after years of suffering are finally having their rights to clean air - free from dangerous carcenegens - asserted.

Answer 25

Can't say I have ever witnessed a punch up down the pub involving a couple of teetotal cigarette smokers! Chances are, it was the alcohol that made them violent, not the cigarettes.

Answer 26

How do you know these event's happened because the people involved were smokers ? Did you see the cigs in their gobs?



I am a smoker and can honestly say even if I have to smoke outside a pub I will never cause trouble or be racist.



If these type of people are going to kick off they will do in or outside a pub.



Edit*Ali I disagree people who cause trouble are going to regardless whether they smoke or not. I am not for the ban as I believe pubs etc should be able to decide to allow it or not inside their own premises. Violence will happen regardless of whether you are outside or not. you don;t just become racist because you have to smoke outside.

Answer 27

Thank god the government had the balls to it. Now I can have a pint in the boozer with the annoying people smoking and destroying everybobies health. The only problem now is getting rid of that awful smell the smoke masked. Hope they go the whole hog and ban the sales of tabacco. The problems that smoking creates to your health are clear!!!! It common sense.

Answer 28

I went to the theartre on Saterday night and went to the bar for a drink in the interval for the first time in 30 years. I had a night out with NO RESTRICTIONS

Answer 29

"this only happened because these drunk knobs were forced onto the street to smoke".....



um.. " you CANNOT be serious!! ".



.. the fact the two guys could be drunk,racist's and total a**holes didn't cross your mind for the reason the violence occured??

Answer 30

Thank Heavens for the ban. Everyone is entitled to smoke if they are that retarded, but the rest of the population is entitled to breath the cleanest air possible.

Answer 31

Well now the smokers are all in the streets, so i get even MORE second-hand smoke! i don't know which annoys me more: car fumes or smoke blowing in my face

Answer 32

its great



in your example you said there were drunken smokers ouside causing problems, wouldnt they cause problems inside?



and the other example (second fight) would have happened either way if the black guy had come in the bar

Answer 33

Its the none smokers that want the fresh air - so why aren't they the ones being sent outside - they can have all the fresh air they want then.

No-one was forcing none smokers to sit in smoky bars.

What happened to our 'free country' and why was this not put to the vote?

Answer 34

I THINK ITS THE BEST THING EVER AS EVEN THOUGH IM A SMOKER & FROM IRELAND WE ALL THOUGHT IT WAS A BALLS TO START WITH BUT WE WERNT LONG GETTING USED TO THE BAN,BUT THERE IS A DOWN SIDE TO IT TOO,PUBS CLOSED DOWN ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AS IT DID TAKE FROM THEIR BUISNESS & PEOPLE STARTED TO DRINK AT HOME & HAVE HOUSE PARTIES,WHAT BUGS ME ABOUT THE BAN IS THAT ITS LEGAL FOR ME TO BUY CIGGYS BUT ITS ILLEGAL FOR ME TO SMOKE IN PUBLIC PLACES SO WHY CONTINUE TO MAKE THEM????????????????????????

Answer 35

FRESH AIR!!!



The ability to see the pub celing colour!

Kiss girls and taste their sweet lips insted of ash trays!

Go home without smelling like a Funeral Pire!

Answer 36

I thought men fighting in the streets would rise now, especially where i live!!



Also we went out at the weekend and it was dead in town compared to how it usually is, also it stunk!!! Af urine and stale ale! I cant belive im saying this but the smoke smell was better than urine urgh!

Answer 37

Cant you get an ASBO on people congregating in groups and causing a nuisance?



It is the next step!!!

Answer 38

MASSAGE TO INFRARED.YOU ARE A EFFIN MORON. smokers do pay extra health insurance 20p went on a packet 5 years ago in the budget solely for the nhs.where has all that money gone?

SEND EM TO IRAQ

YOU ARE a total pratt mate.

Answer 39

Right and these problems are only happening becuase of the fact we aren't allowed to smoke inside now?



Sure.



Maybe move to a better area?

Answer 40

do you know we have had the smoking ban in Scotland for over a year now and it doesn't bother anyone at all no problems whatsoever

Answer 41

I agree with you 100%. Bars should all allow smoking. Restaurants should have areas with extra ventilation for a smoking section.



I have heard from owner's that their business's are way down.



Smokers carry-out food and drink at home so they can smoke.

Answer 42

do you really think the smoking ban is the problem here

Answer 43

so if there is smoking ban in resturants how can i order smoked cod?

Answer 44

i've noticed a difference - its 'open season' on smokers now and we seem to get the blame for everything.

Answer 45

Liberals thought it up, they don't think, work run a business what do you expect ?

Answer 46

barmen being able to go home early coz theres no one in the pub lollll.

Answer 47

All smokers should pay extra health insurance so that the rest of us can get cheaper health care.

If the smokin ban doesnt work in the UK your govt should take a harder line...........send em to Iraq........at least its a quicker death!

Answer 48

Stay at home!

Answer 49

i can breatheeeeee