Public Areas Smoking Ban

[I detest smoking]

So this has been something that has increasingly annoying as of late, given my recent move to a large city (UK for context). Sure, smoking is banned in all enclosed spaces - which is undeniably a great thing. But this is not the heart of my problem. Why is it still allowed in public areas and specifically, on the streets?

This clearly violates health principles. When you are walking on the street with people smoking, you are going to be inhaling smoke passively, and this has been considered to be a huge health hazard as shown by numerous medical studies. So why is it still tolerated? I don't get it. I couldn't care less what the price of cigarettes are or where you get them from. Just don't do it in public. I'm not saying don't smoke. I'm saying don't smoke in public. If you feel it is that necessary to willingly shorten your lifespan, feel free to do so - in private. A clear violation of the harm principle. I couldn't care what you do in private as long as it doesn't harm others. In a perfect world, smokers would have the decency or self-awareness to avoid doing so.

[Scomagia]

People get to drive cars and spit out all the noxious fumes that come with that. As long as it's outside, how is cigarette smoking particularly worse? Indoor smoking is not a good idea, though it should still be decided by the business in question whether or not they allow it rather than the state.

[Hrythingia]

It is a great shame. There are no longer any real pubs left in Britain since you cannot smoke inside them -nothing better than the smoky interior of a thatched pub to go with your real ale and humongous roast lunch over a few smokes or maybe on a special occasion some cigars.

[The Blaatschapen]

It is a great shame. There are no longer any real pubs left in Britain since you cannot smoke inside them -nothing better than the smoky interior of a thatched pub to go with your real ale and humongous roast lunch over a few smokes or maybe on a special occasion some cigars.

Wanna trade? Berlin has waay too many pubs where people smoke

It makes my wool stink

[Hrythingia]

It is a great shame. There are no longer any real pubs left in Britain since you cannot smoke inside them -nothing better than the smoky interior of a thatched pub to go with your real ale and humongous roast lunch over a few smokes or maybe on a special occasion some cigars.

Wanna trade? Berlin has waay too many pubs where people smoke

It makes my wool stink

As in me move to Berlin...? No thank you ho ho, I'm not desperate enough to live in the Merkelreich of Krautland.

[The Blaatschapen]

Wanna trade? Berlin has waay too many pubs where people smoke

It makes my wool stink

As in me move to Berlin...? No thank you ho ho, I'm not desperate enough to live in the Merkelreich of Krautland.

No no no, we already have plenty immigrants here from impoverished european countries.

Just trading the pubs.

[Hrythingia]

As in me move to Berlin...? No thank you ho ho, I'm not desperate enough to live in the Merkelreich of Krautland.

No no no, we already have plenty immigrants here from impoverished european countries.

Just trading the pubs.

'Impoverished' oi, you cheeky perisher.
Nah, Teutonic pubs are worth a visit when on holiday but they aren't the same as a good british pub. Different drinks, different grub et cetera.

[Lillorainen]

It is a great shame. There are no longer any real pubs left in Britain since you cannot smoke inside them -nothing better than the smoky interior of a thatched pub to go with your real ale and humongous roast lunch over a few smokes or maybe on a special occasion some cigars.

Ahh, sitting in a nicely warm and cozy pub and chilling with mates with a beer and a cigarette ... damn, I miss these times.

It is a great shame. There are no longer any real pubs left in Britain since you cannot smoke inside them -nothing better than the smoky interior of a thatched pub to go with your real ale and humongous roast lunch over a few smokes or maybe on a special occasion some cigars.

Wanna trade? Berlin has waay too many pubs where people smoke

It makes my wool stink

Guy from NRW here. Open for trade.

[South Ccanda]

So this has been something that has increasingly annoying as of late, given my recent move to a large city (UK for context). Sure, smoking is banned in all enclosed spaces - which is undeniably a great thing. But this is not the heart of my problem. Why is it still allowed in public areas and specifically, on the streets?

This clearly violates health principles. When you are walking on the street with people smoking, you are going to be inhaling smoke passively, and this has been considered to be a huge health hazard as shown by numerous medical studies. So why is it still tolerated? I don't get it. I couldn't care less what the price of cigarettes are or where you get them from. Just don't do it in public. I'm not saying don't smoke. I'm saying don't smoke in public. If you feel it is that necessary to willingly shorten your lifespan, feel free to do so - in private. A clear violation of the harm principle. I couldn't care what you do in private as long as it doesn't harm others. In a perfect world, smokers would have the decency or self-awareness to avoid doing so.

1. Its tolerated because cigarette smoke dissipates much quicker in open air rather than an enclosed room.
2. its already been a cut on a persons civil rights to smoke indoors, yet everyone agrees, even smokers. but when you say you can't smoke in public at all is a huge step over the line. smoking is an addiction that they can't really help, especially in america where smoking alternatives either don't work or aren't worth the money. so saying you can't smoke in public would mean that people would have to go after these alternatives.
3. that "perfect world" argument is just your opinion. the perfect world to a smoker would be that they can smoke where ever the want.

[Hammer Britannia]

OP's name checks out

[Vassenor]

It is a great shame. There are no longer any real pubs left in Britain since you cannot smoke inside them -nothing better than the smoky interior of a thatched pub to go with your real ale and humongous roast lunch over a few smokes or maybe on a special occasion some cigars.

Society is not going to collapse just because your rose-tinted stereotypes have vanished into the past.

[The Blaatschapen]

It is a great shame. There are no longer any real pubs left in Britain since you cannot smoke inside them -nothing better than the smoky interior of a thatched pub to go with your real ale and humongous roast lunch over a few smokes or maybe on a special occasion some cigars.

Ahh, sitting in a nicely warm and cozy pub and chilling with mates with a beer and a cigarette ... damn, I miss these times.

Wanna trade? Berlin has waay too many pubs where people smoke

It makes my wool stink

Guy from NRW here. Open for trade.

Alright, bring you pubs here.

[South Ccanda]

OP's name checks out

i just realised the name lol

[Former Citizens of the Nimbus System]

People get to drive cars and spit out all the noxious fumes that come with that. As long as it's outside, how is cigarette smoking particularly worse?

An excellent point; we should indeed also be legislating against combustion-driven cars!

In all seriousness, I agree entirely with the OP. Not only would this eliminate the effects of passive smoking in public places (especially immediately outside public buildings, where the problem is particularly severe), I would imagine that it would also significantly de-normalise smoking which would hopefully reduce the rate of people taking it up.

(And yes, I do think that we should be moving towards bans on the manufacture of new petrol and diesel cars too.)

[Scomagia]

It is a great shame. There are no longer any real pubs left in Britain since you cannot smoke inside them -nothing better than the smoky interior of a thatched pub to go with your real ale and humongous roast lunch over a few smokes or maybe on a special occasion some cigars.

Society is not going to collapse just because your rose-tinted stereotypes have vanished into the past.

I don't believe they said it would. Your aimless hostility is getting pretty dull. Maybe it's time for a new schtick?

[Pachenstein]

It is a great shame. There are no longer any real pubs left in Britain since you cannot smoke inside them -nothing better than the smoky interior of a thatched pub to go with your real ale and humongous roast lunch over a few smokes or maybe on a special occasion some cigars.

Here here! I love that smoking is allowed in pubs in Austria.

[Northern Syria]

When you are walking on the street with people smoking, you are going to be inhaling smoke passively, and this has been considered to be a huge health hazard as shown by numerous medical studies.

The health risk of inhaling secondhand smoke in an outdoors public place is pretty negligible. They're open places, so not much smoke from a passing by smoker would enter your lungs.

I found a PBS article where an interviewed health professor makes the case that the rationale for banning smoking in public places is to protect the smoker. The motivation is to make it more difficult for smokers to smoke. So I guess the question really comes down to should the government regulate people's smoking habits?
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/the ... oking-bans

[Hrythingia]

It is a great shame. There are no longer any real pubs left in Britain since you cannot smoke inside them -nothing better than the smoky interior of a thatched pub to go with your real ale and humongous roast lunch over a few smokes or maybe on a special occasion some cigars.

Society is not going to collapse just because your rose-tinted stereotypes have vanished into the past.

At what point did I say it was going to collapse?

[Hammer Britannia]

Society is not going to collapse just because your rose-tinted stereotypes have vanished into the past.

At what point did I say it was going to collapse?

You miss "The good old days" when you could smoke in pubs, Ergo, you're Alex Jones

[Hrythingia]

It is a great shame. There are no longer any real pubs left in Britain since you cannot smoke inside them -nothing better than the smoky interior of a thatched pub to go with your real ale and humongous roast lunch over a few smokes or maybe on a special occasion some cigars.

Ahh, sitting in a nicely warm and cozy pub and chilling with mates with a beer and a cigarette ... damn, I miss these times.

Wanna trade? Berlin has waay too many pubs where people smoke

It makes my wool stink

Guy from NRW here. Open for trade.

Its those sundays after mass as you shamble home, full to the belly with a huge roast lunch, multiple pints of thick ale and a good few cigars, simply glorious. You are left completely immobilised but excellent stuff. Always a good roar with the lads too, maybe even the lasses too if we let them come along.

[South Ccanda]

At what point did I say it was going to collapse?

You miss "The good old days" when you could smoke in pubs, Ergo, you're Alex Jones

"I just wanna smoke in bars! it must be, it must...the frogs....."

[Hrythingia]

At what point did I say it was going to collapse?

You miss "The good old days" when you could smoke in pubs, Ergo, you're Alex Jones

Ah yes, I'm a tin foil hat wearing fat semi deranged Texan bedroom ogre. Cracking stuff.

[Scomagia]

Society is not going to collapse just because your rose-tinted stereotypes have vanished into the past.

At what point did I say it was going to collapse?

You didn't. This is what Vassenor does. They come into a thread and sling shit, hostility, and strawmen.

[The New California Republic]

So this has been something that has increasingly annoying as of late, given my recent move to a large city (UK for context). Sure, smoking is banned in all enclosed spaces - which is undeniably a great thing. But this is not the heart of my problem. Why is it still allowed in public areas and specifically, on the streets?

Open areas tend to have more space for the smoke to dissipate. It doesn't tend to be a problem unless people are cheek by jowl.

This clearly violates health principles. When you are walking on the street with people smoking, you are going to be inhaling smoke passively.

See my statement above.

So why is it still tolerated? I don't get it. I couldn't care less what the price of cigarettes are or where you get them from. Just don't do it in public. I'm not saying don't smoke. I'm saying don't smoke in public. If you feel it is that necessary to willingly shorten your lifespan, feel free to do so - in private. A clear violation of the harm principle. I couldn't care what you do in private as long as it doesn't harm others. In a perfect world, smokers would have the decency or self-awareness to avoid doing so.

Again, the harm caused by passive smoking in areas that are not substantially enclosed is negligible.

[Andsed]

It is a great shame. There are no longer any real pubs left in Britain since you cannot smoke inside them -nothing better than the smoky interior of a thatched pub to go with your real ale and humongous roast lunch over a few smokes or maybe on a special occasion some cigars.

Society is not going to collapse just because your rose-tinted stereotypes have vanished into the past.

Where did he stay that? He just said he misses when he could smoke with some pals in a bar. He never said anything about society collapsing.