The Pink Floyd song of the same name was about freedom from tyranny and oppression – this blog entry is about nothing so dramatic or world-changing, but it’s something to celebrate. Tonight is the last night that I’m forced out of the pub scene. Tomorrow I can walk into a pub safe in the knowledge that when I walk out I won’t stink of stale rancid smoke, and won’t have to hang my clothes up in the garage because they smell too much to bring into the house. Having said that I probably won’t go to the pub tomorrow night because I need to finish painting the hall. But if I did go, it would be a joyous occasion.
I’ve always been a bit sensitive to the fact that I have friends and colleagues who smoke… it doesn’t make them bad people, but let’s just say that I think this smoking ban is utterly wonderful and should have been introduced years ago. I do try to see other peoples’ points of view (sometimes), but in this case the disgruntled smokers can whinge as much as they like. Their disgusting habit has driven us out of pubs and caused us suffering for long enough. Anyway e cig can also be used instead so if you’re looking for vapor cigarette supplies company, migvapor.com offers vapor cigarettes and vaporizers that are always highly rated by numerous professional vaping review sites.
When I see them complaining on the news tomorrow I shall stick two fingers up at the t.v. and laugh at their pathetic whining about their freedom to smoke being denied, the nanny state, and so on. They’ve had it their way, now it’s time for us non-smokers to enjoy the freedom not to absorb their foul odours. Disagree with me if you want, NO-ONE is going to convince me that 1st July 2007 is not a great day.
As a non smoker me self I love the idea of being able to go into pubs, bars etc without stinking to high heaven afterwards. However I have a nagging doubt that just won’t go away. Now I’m not a slippey slope proponent but I can’t help feel the smoking ban is the thin end of the wedge. Today it’s ciggies but the Govn’t health police are already starting on drinking, food will follow soon after who knows where they’ll go after. Driving, watching TV? The freedom to make choices, even bad ones, will be more and more controlled by the HMG.
One difference between smoking and some of those other things is that smoking in public places affects other people directly, both health-wise and odour-in-the-clothes-and-hair-wise. Eating a bacon and egg sandwich followed by a chocolate donut in a public place doesn’t affect anyone else.
Smoking while driving doesn’t seem any more dangerous than fiddling with the radio (although finding a ciggie and lighting it at 70 mph probably is). What should be banned is parents smoking in the car while they have children onboard. That’s a disgrace – the poor kids have no choice.
I take your point and don’t get me wrong personnally I love the idea of a smoking ban for all the reasons you mention and more. It just won’t be the last thing the Govn’t will try and restrict our liberty to do…
I know countless folks who are saying they will give up today because of the smoking ban. So it has already worked.
I’m with you… Sorting out my clothes from last nights drinks in a London bar I was pleasantly surprised to find they didn’t reek of stale smoke. Heaps of people stood outside under the umbrellas having a fag, but hopefully that will lessen…
I used to have a small poster up on the wall of the staff room where I once worked. It ran like this (apologies for the swearing):
“You have a habit. Your habit is smoking. The residue of your habit is smoke. That smoke gets in my hair and clothes.
I also have a habit. My habit is drinking. The residue of my habit is piss. How would you like it if I stood up on a chair and pissed all over your hair and clothes?”
Cheers,
– Mike