Should the smoking ban be lifted?

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PCS Comment

15 October 2010

The debate about the smoking ban has been reopened by an MP's attempt to introduce a bill to exempt pubs and clubs from the blanket ban, and give private members' clubs the option to have a smoking room.

What do you think?

Should the ban introduced in all public places across the UK in 2007 be lifted, as long as pubs and clubs have self-contained smoking rooms?
Or are you happy to socialise in smoke-free areas and support the ban on smoking in public places?

What is your view on this? Have your say, and debate the issue here on PCS comment, a selection of the comments will be published in View, the monthly magazine for PCS members.

Please note that we reserve the right to edit any contribution before publication. We do not guarantee that all contributions will be published.

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quite right Dan

20 October 2010

Totally agree - if alcoholics pay their taxes then let them get help from the NHS too.
maryjane connelly

Looks familiar??

19 October 2010

Alcoholics pay more tax that non-alcoholics, that should at least entitle them to help from the NHS and a warm room to drink in. Why should a drinker who has worked all their life and paid every tax under the sun be turned away by the NHS because paragons of society reckon illnesses are self-inflicted? Many smokers have never worked, live off benefits and are a general pollution to society. Yet they get taken by the hand and get treated by the NHS, paid for by drinkers' hard-earned taxes. I am also astounded to see some of them with bus passes which not only entitles them to free travel, but they can take a companion on the bus free with them.
Dan Tanzey

taxes on fags

19 October 2010

Smokers pay more tax that non-smokers, that should at least entitle them to help from the NHS and a warm room to smoke in. Why should a smoker who has worked all their life and paid every tax under the sun be turned away by the NHS because paragons of society reckon illnesses are self-inflicted? Many heroin addicts have never worked, live off benefits and are a general pollution to society. Yet they get taken by the hand and get treated by the NHS, paid for by smokers' hard-earned taxes. I am also astounded to see some of them with bus passes which not only entitles them to free travel, but they can take a companion on the bus free with them.
maryjane connelly

Freedom of Choice

18 October 2010

I think smokers should be entitled to have a place they can go and socialise and still be able to smoke. The complete ban on smoking in pubs and clubs has been detrimental to landlords across Britain and many have lost their livelyhoods as a result. As far as I am concerned the only good thing that has happened as a result of the ban is that folk have realised they need to wash occasionally when they go to these places as the smell of smoke no longer covers up the BO. In my younger years as a barmaid I was fully aware that if I wanted to work in a bar I would need to breathe second-hand smoke. It was my choice. Smokers have been made social lepers because of this ban. If it is fair to have non-smoking bars then it should be fair to also have smokers bars, or is the government going to ban bars altogether because alcohol consumption is also detrimental to your health?
Kat F

Let's have joined up thinking

18 October 2010

Another great post Dan, I like it. lol. More liberal thinking regarding drugs will allow people to realise their true potential in sport. Our East German comrades had the right idea in the 70s, with 20-stone female shot putters with beards and hairy chests. Oustanding. Keep up the good work.
Lin Black

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