And so it begins...

Oh, come on Bear, lemme give you a big ole hug.

 

At one point caterers were near the top.

 

That was when BigJ and Fat Nick Davies went on diets, then?

 

But why? Comparisons with banning motorcycling are probably not
helpful, I agree, but why would you support something that doesn't
allow a businessman to decide to promote his establishment to a
certain sector of society who wish to do therein something that is
perfectly legal elsewhere?

It's not a stupid question, and it's one that I've yet to see
addressed by the pro-ban lobby. Until it is, I really con't understand
their (your) viewpoint on this.

 

Nice.

 

OK - apologies if this gets a bit rambling - it's my age!

Eventually (it might take 5 years, it might take 50) IMHO it will be
illegal to possess tobacco. Now that we know the full extent of the
mortality and morbidity associated with tobacco abuse, with virtually
no benefits, I think we will nearly all come round to that way of
thinking sooner or later.

The $64,000 question is whether to speed the process of getting there
by legislation, and if so, how. I believe the process should be pushed
by legislation, and the least painful way seems to me to be by making
it more and more expensive and more and more inconvenient to be a
smoker. Banning all public smoking is an inevitable step in this
process. As an alternative, it would be nice if one could arrange for
no-one to be allowed to start smoking until well into adulthood, as
smoking would then (I believe) largely die out fairly quickly of its
own accord, but I don't think this would be practicable.

Every day, tens, indeed hundreds, of (mostly) kids take the first puff
on their way to an early death. I work with those who regularly have
to break the news to people that they're going to die a lot sooner
than they thought, and with those whose job it is to counsel children
living with a dying parent, and it ain't funny. If I could bring the
time when that ceases to happen forward by a single day I would.

That's why I would ban all public smoking today, and not even wait
until tomorrow. The egg that gets broken for that particular omlette
is your freedom to smoke in your local boozer.

 

Ben Blaney says...

BigJ's lost over 5 stone. Pizza shops in Watford are closing down on a
daily basis.

 

I was recently told that 80% of *all* new businesses go bust in 2 years.
--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 2.0 TS
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

It was somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Catman

AOL. Istr hearing that 20+ years ago. It's the triumph of hope over
prudence.

--

Dave

GS 850 x2 / SE 6a
SbS#6 DIAABTCOD#16 APOSTLE#6 FUB#3
FUB KotL OSOS#12? UKRMMA#19 COSOC#10

 

Sounds much more likely, one small bar deciding to ban smokers is
bound to see a difference. IMLE I saw little difference in the Dublin
bars before and after their Government enforced ban other than people
popping outside for a smoke. Of course that'll be next, smoking in the
open air.

For the larger premises I really don't see what the difficulty is with
having a smoking bar, we could even call it the snug.

 

We had a minor celebration on our second birthday. It consisted of me
thinking 'Made it that far then'
--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 2.0 TS
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

We're used to it.

Ahh, so on that basis, together with:

....I can at least see your logic. But it only makes sense if we accept
your particular argument that this is just a fore-runner to a complete
ban, which is not how it's normally presented.

But you're living in cloud cuckoo land if you think you'll see tobacco
banned in your lifetime.

 

You'd best make the most of it while you can, if it happens.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4232703.stm

 

http://www.therockalltimes.co.uk/2004/06/21/irish-pubgoers.pub.html

 

those researchers were a bit dim, weren't they? It's obvious what the
problem is to anyone who's actually been to a pub in Ireland since the
ban - they just go and smoke outside. Duh.

 

Don't they get wet?

 

yes, actually.

When I was in Donegal last August, you'd see a bunch of die-hard
smokers huddled against the rain and wind outside pretty much every
pub.

But the system works - non-smokers can stay warm and dry inside the
pub, unbothered by foul tobacco smoke[1].

[1] I should point out I'm not particularly anti-smoking, and I do like
the occasional cigar myself, but I prefer pubs to be smoke-free.

 

Why not smoke inside and serve the beer outside, then you could have fresh
air with your drink every time.

 

well, it's an idea not without merit, and of course if it's raining,
you only have to buy one pint all night.

 

That's because lots of people who start new "businesses" have no more
business acumen nor financial savvy than Del Trotter.