Time is right to scrap total ban on smoking
I WAS very pleased to read that the recent MP expenditure scandal has prompted columnist John Abberley to discuss again the smoking ban.
I agree that this could be an opportune time to question the total ban when the partial ban was working so well and at very little cost.
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LAW: Do you think the smoking ban was a good idea?
This ban was implemented by an unscrupulous body of people who have proven quite clearly that they are incapable of effectively handling their own finances.
Consider this, the Government recoups a staggering 27 billion pounds annually by way of tobacco tax. This money could have done much to boost our ailing national health service. For instance over the last few years we have seen:
Extortionate prescription charges and very often second-class medication;
Postcode lottery for breast cancer sufferers;
GPs, paramedics and hospital staff expected to perform to a strict time schedule. How can you put a time limit on say a road accident or heart attack?
Closure of care homes for the elderly and those with special needs;
Closure of day nurseries and day centres;
Mental health needs grossly neglected.
How effective has the total smoking ban proved to be and at what cost?
Millions of pounds have been wasted on ineffective advertising, and television advertising in particular has swallowed up a large portion of the money.
Millions of pounds have been wasted on clinics offering free counselling, all manner of lotions, potions, patches and pills, all free with compliments of the health ministry. Most hoping to kick the smoking habit revert back within a few weeks.
The latest proposal regarding tobacco is to make it illegal for cigarette vendors to display them, hence millions of pounds will be spent by way of compensating vendors towards the cost of refurbishing their premises to accommodate the storing of tobacco products.
The very fact that these laws were put into place bang in the middle of a global recession beggars belief. All in all, at the end of the day what has been achieved?
Forty-five pubs are closing every day, incurring thousands of job losses and in hundreds of sad cases, landlords and their families are losing their homes and livelihood.
The tourist trade will inevitable be affected. I for one wouldn't want to spend my holiday savings on hotel accommodation where I couldn't relax with a drink and cigarette.
I believe John's view is far from being in a minority. I too am waiting for some courageous politician to propose that the ban on smoking in pubs be overturned.
MS G PARR
Stoke-on-Trent
17 Comments
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by Robert, Eccles
Thursday, June 04 2009, 7:11AM
“All these anti-smoking zealots should do some research and not rely on what governments and doctors say.
Contrary to myth, the anti-smoking lobby is very well funded to the extent of milllions if US$ by global drug giants through an organization called GlobaLink who has successfully infiltrated every government in the world. Today, its smoking, tomorrow, who knows?
Let's be clear, there has not been one study to prove beyond doubt that smoking kills to the extent claimed. There are various studies the anti-smoking group rely on (called epidemiolgy which should not even be classed as a science but at best is guesswork), but these are unsafe because in laymans terms, they take 1+1= anything they want by attributing every disease related to smoking and blaming it on smoking and discounting the possibility of other causes. Although there do seem to ba an increased but minimal statistical risks in smoking, it is not as much as claimed by the anti-smoking zealots. The only accurate way of measuring deaths by smoking is that on autopsy, the disease is identified, then statistical research on what can cause that disease is done and then attribute it according to the % of smokers that dies from that disease. For example, heart disease is blamed on smoking, but one of the major causes is in fact obesity.
If any anti-smoker suggest that smokers be denied NHS, then I would suggest that I refuse to pay for treatment of obese people for diabetes and heart disease! On average, anyone with a waistline over 34 inches!
Now the USA has a smoker as a President, let's see if we can get some proper reseacrh into the hazards of smoking instead of the propoganda!”
by Claire, Stone
Wednesday, June 03 2009, 10:10AM
“I can honestly say that I don't know a single smoker who has stopped going to the pub I drink in due to the smoking ban.”
by chris, USA
Wednesday, June 03 2009, 1:41AM
“Eclipse: Is there any other kindof anti-smoking zealot?”
by chris, USA
Wednesday, June 03 2009, 1:40AM
“Eclipse: Is there any other kind of anti-smoking zealot??”
by Eclipse, Sheffield
Friday, May 29 2009, 4:05PM
“Andy From Sandbach.
A truly magnificent example of an anti-smoking zealot who can't see past his own nose.”