General Chat

I'm not a smoker and to be honest I can't stand it when I have to endure their second hand smoke. It gets in my hair, on my clothes and more importantly in my lungs.

I agree with banning smoking in pubs. It's great to leave at the end of the night without stinking of stale smoke.

However, when the car ban was suggested, I instantly agreed with the smokers being able to smoke in their cars (after all it's their life).

However, there was a news report which mentioned the issue of children absorbing the smoke. Apparently the harmful affect of the smoke isn't negated by opening of the windows, the affects are magnified in such a small space and even when sitting in the car afterwards, you can pick up the harmful affects,

So I suppose I'm now against smoking in cars where children are involved but I think if it's only adults, they can make their own choices.

Policing it is a different matter...is it really practical?

Ann I suppose if everyone gave up smoking the cost of the loss of tax would not be recouped immediately but it might well be eventually by the savings by the NHS, but, as I say it would take quite a while before any benefit was shown. They would probably put the tax up on alcohol!

How can they ban smoking in a privately own car, the government dont buy the car dont pay for the insurance dont pay for the road tax, if you dont want your child in the car of smoker then dont let them travel in it, if you dont want to travel in a smokers car then dont, if you dont want to buy a car from a smoker then dont..... havent the government learnt their lesson from seeing a boarded up pub on every corner....I agree with Muffy they need to but out... :-(

Sorry Shane I misunderstood no shock there, for there to be a ban I thought it would have to be passed by parliment.

yes the ery same association that come up with all the other things..
so we dont DRINK,SMOKE,EAT MEAT,SUGER ,FAT OF ANY KIND,SALT,and EXERCISE until we drop,oh what a happy bunch we will all be.... :-D

AnnCardiff I see you are researching Breakspears, I may be mistaken but wasn't Nicholas Breakspear our only English saint?

I have a theory about smoking/drinking etc. Yes they can be fatal. But you have to be susceptible in the first place. My Mum, a smoker, died at age 44. Her mother, a smoker, died at 73. Both were from smoking related illnesses. Two of my kids smoke. I say to them that, if they are susceptible, it will kill them. It's a lottery and they are gambling. They have to accept that. But of course they don't think it will happen to them.

I don't smoke but I do like to drink wine. I could be gambling too - but the fact is your liver will recover if you cut down on the booze but your lungs will be damaged forever if you smoke. You don't have to die of lung cancer, there are so many breathing disorders that will kill you first.

most of us have addictive personalitys,be it drink,smoking,drugs,overeating,the list is endless,we are all gambling with our lives,as for the liver recovering after to much alcohol,yes thats right but only to a certain extent,just like the lungs will recover if yiu give up smoking..
smoking gets a bad press,several other thing are just as bad.. :-D

Hi Helen - Nicholas Breakspear was the only English pope - Pope Adrian

I'd be a lot happier if the police enforced the ban on using mobile phones whilst driving - far more dangerous - I see at least half a dozen drivers on their phones every time I go out

When it is stated on a death certificate that someone died of a 'smoking related illness' , you know this person was a smoker.
If the person was a non-smoker, it would probably say just heart or lung disease. How do 'they' know both weren't vehicle exhaust related illness?

I live in Winchester, a medieval town set in a bowl, with narrow streets in the centre.
I walk to work, (nearly 2 miles) from the top of a hill on one side of the 'bowl' to the top of a hill on the other. This used to be a choice, but since cuts in public transport, it has become a necessity.

I can avoid one road by walking along St Giles' Hill, (a lonely path along the bottom of a high hill-just ripe for being attacked) but approaching work, it's uphill all the way along a narrow road usually gridlocked with vehicles spouting fumes that are similar to, but over 100% more lethal than cigarette smoke- and after nearly 2 miles, and the last bit being a steep hill, I'm breathing very deeply!
So, will it be the smoking or car fumes that kill me? Nobody knows - but sure as hell my smoking will be blamed! !

excellent point Maggie :-)