UK beer sale at an all time low, pubs are closing as smokers abandon them. Should we ban the smoking ban?

Question

Pubs are shutting faster than Gordon Brown's wallet and as smokers abandon their locals beer sales have plummeted to their lowest level since the 1930's.

Should those hypocritical politicians who excluded themselves from the ban on smoking in the workplace, perhaps re-consider the draconian rules which make smokers smoke out of doors and braving the elements?

After all the WHA's study on passive smoking, the largest and most far reaching one ever carried out, concluded it was harmless, and so refused to publish it.

Why can't normal smokers gather together and enjoy a drink or a meal with their cigarette when their MP's can?

Whatever happened to equality under the law?

Before anyone asks, I quit smoking 5 years ago, but it makes me very angry indeed to see the way smokers, who do not go on the rampage, or smash everything in sight, are being punished for carrying out a lawful pursuit.

Push the druggies out into the cold and rain and we'd be deying their 'Uman Rites'.

I think you may have misunderstood, what I am saying is that smokers should be provided with a well ventilated room, that is purely a place where they can smoke, indoors, in comfort.

Non smokers would not be affected unless they are perverse enough to deliberately enter the smoking room.

Or are you anti-smokers playing a political game, you don't like smoking full stop and you'll do anything it takes to stop it?

Stalin would have loved you and so will Comrade Brown.

Answer 1

LOL!
Remember the hype before the ban?
Banning smoking will NOT affect pubs, the non smokers will make up the difference, and pubs diversifying into selling food, to make up the down fall of sales!
WRONG!
and correct me if I am wrong, but a place that sells food and alcohol is a licensed RESTAURANT not a pub!
They are now considering upping the tax on alcohol sold in supermarkets and off licenses.
So beware you drinkers, the nanny state is now after you!

Answer 2

i think your rights as a human being are constantly eroded by the politicians in england, personally i dont drink, but i do like a low tar low nicotine ciggy, (shame on me). The government allows this to happen to minorities, dont worry , now the target is alcohol and some will say good riddance, abstention from any substance should be voluntary though, soon there will be nowhere to relax once they make smoking illegal in your own home under the health and safety regs and i think that time is not to far away, i agree there should be coffee shops for smokers, like the turkish tobacco houses, but that will never come back, alcohol is needed to control people and keep them from real issues, smoking doesnt cause dulling of the brain so they will never ban alcohol because it does, but the time will come when you will as a drinker not have anywhere to drink but at the home, crazy world init. Blame the prohibitionist movements that lobby the governments with money and hand shakes, the third world is big enough of a market for the cig companies to not worry about little old englands smokers, so they dont give a fig.

Answer 3

There is a simple solution to a malicious problem against pubs. If a pub/club or whatever chooses to allow smoking in their premises, then that is up to them. If someone objects to the smoking, then don't go in. Those that object to smoking can go to the pub down the road which does ban it. Freedom of choice, where has it gone?`
Most regulars who are the bread and butter of pubs smoke. The people that don't are usually the once or maybe twice a week visitors, who spend a few notes, but that's all. Without the regulars, no pubs. Its an outrage.

Answer 4

If it wasn't for the Smoking ban, I wouldn't have stopped smoking!Not only do I spend most of the money I save on new clothes, on my kids and on going down the gym, but I'm hardly ever ill anymore and I hardly even bother to visit the Pub. That's because I'm forking most of my money to pay for PETROL TAX (65% of Petrol Cost is Tax) so pleasures like smoking and drinking are unaffordable anymore. Funny how the smoking ban comes in and Petrol is taxed more than ever before (along with car insurance, car tax and everything bloody else that the establishment can tax).
Anyone else know of another product that is taxed TWICE, like Petrol???Smokers should be allowed their own pubs and clubs, at least then I might be able to afford to buy petrol again.

Answer 5

Totally correct!
The smoking ban has done nothing good and brought on the closure of hundreds of nice sociable places, resulting in thousands of job losses. It has increased crime, put people on the streets or not even out of their homes. Plus cocaine use has grown within the remaining pubs and community to name but a few. If people dont like smoking they don't have to go to a smoking establishment.

Answer 6

Yes, They should quash their pathetic laws on No smoking. Except for eating establishments. I smoke rarely. But when I do, I go outside if I am at a club or pub. I live in the US. But some are not aware of others who can't handle smoke. They use to have sections, with air filters. You would never know that people were smoking in there. But business here are slowing for the clubs and pubs also. I agree on being 10 ft from a business. It just doesn't look good for the business. But clubs and pubs should be exempt.

Answer 7

Lets see some evidence for these pubs that are shutting down, then, and this beer sales business.
I hadn't heard about the MP's exception from the ruling, though, I'm intrigued to hear more about that, too.
I have to say, though, it's mainly smokers complaining about the ban. Everybody else is happy they don't have to breath in their noxious, carcinogenic smoke and go home with their clothes stinking of smoke.

Answer 8

Keep the ban. Beer sales are not falling because of the ban, they are falling because chavs prefer WKD.

Smokers are a minority. These are MY lungs. Why should I avoid the pub?

MPs CANNOT avoid the ban. The PALACE OF WESTMINSTER is exempt from the ban by an ancient quirk exempting the crown from the law. The House of Commons is in a Royal Palace, Crown Property and therefore exempt by tradition. NO exeptions were expressly written into the ban to allow smoking in Parliament. Just tradition. But MPs DO abide by the ban by choice.

Answer 9

No keep the ban but extend it too all public places open or not a filthy habit that plagues everyone.
If we invented cigarettes now they would be a poison and banned completely.
Lets not bother too much about passive smoking as bad as it is, but think how much smoking related disease is costing us all in NHS costs evey year.

Answer 10

I am a Smoker, but I respect the right of choice.... for both parties.

Which means that if someone wanted to open a SMOKERS ONLY pub they should be allowed to.

There's a Pub in Blackpool that gets fined £2k a week as it keeps allowing smoking... and its worth it to the landlord as he makes much more than that in increased beer sales