• Friendly reminder: The politics section is a place where a lot of differing opinions are raised. You may not like what you read here but it is someone's opinion. As long as the debate is respectful you are free to debate freely. Also, the views and opinions expressed by forum members may not necessarily reflect those of GBAtemp. Messages that the staff consider offensive or inflammatory may be removed in line with existing forum terms and conditions.

Smoking Ban Bill (UK) Passes First Hurdle

RedColoredStars

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2022
Messages
942
Trophies
0
Location
Vancouver
XP
1,263
Country
Canada
Yes, and the people who smuggle shit in from Mexico, Canada, and other countries will just smuggle in cigarettes. The "war on drugs" will just include cigarettes.

Don't care about that at all. When its nice outside sometimes I like to sit outside at the bar. But guess what? Surrounded by 20 people chain smoking the entire time. One after another after another after another, the entire night non-stop. I see people smoking cigs all over the place. Walking down the street, standing in front of businesses, throwing their cig butts all over, etc. etc. I don't see that going on with marijuana even thou it is now legal in a lot of places. I don't see people walking down the street smoking joints and bowls constantly. I don't see them standing in front of the business I want to enter. I don't see them chain smoking all night at the bar. They take a few puffs and are good for a while. I don't see them throwing roaches all over the place. I don't care about the war on drugs. If something can be done to prevent me from having to deal with cigs in public, I'm all for it.

In related news, the city i live in is passing a cannabis ordinance that would prevent smoking cannabis or even eating edibles in public. Can't even take a couple puffs of a medical prescription outside of the bars now, where there are troves of people chain smoking cigs. Petty misdemeanor and a $300 fine.
 

The Catboy

GBAtemp Official Catboy™: Boywife
Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2009
Messages
27,951
Trophies
4
Location
Making a non-binary fuss
XP
39,369
Country
Antarctica
Prohibition never works.
Honestly, I think reducing advertising in all areas would work better. Equally, making smoking more difficult seems to have been rather effective where I live. This is laws like increasing the limits to which someone can smoke near a door or building, making it illegal to smoke in parks, and other limits. It makes a lot of people quit or at least cut back when they are pressured without taking away their cigarettes
 

AdenTheThird

The Apathetical Atheist
Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2018
Messages
1,044
Trophies
1
Location
Pacific Ocean
XP
2,317
Country
United States
When I visited Europe last summer (mostly Europe), far and away the most noticeable change from the States was the incredible abundance of smoking. It was normalized; it didn't seem to carry any of the same negative weight/stigma that it does here. Everyone smoked. Ashtrays and vending machines for cigarettes where everywhere and cigarette butts were in the sidewalk cracks pretty much everywhere I went. Entire cities smelled stale.
It was interesting to see such a vivid difference from one country to another.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AncientBoi

AncientBoi

THEE GAY WARLORD™ - Defender of GAY Rights
Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2021
Messages
3,972
Trophies
2
Age
66
Location
On the Patio NaKeD w/COFFEE
XP
13,346
Country
United States
Well weed is legal now, so that's a non issue.

:rofl2::tpi::rofl2: POT is also a Carcinogen. Which is bad for the LUNGS as well.. Also gets on your clothes, hair, walls and everything else. :mellow:
 

RedColoredStars

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2022
Messages
942
Trophies
0
Location
Vancouver
XP
1,263
Country
Canada
:rofl2::tpi::rofl2: POT is also a Carcinogen. Which is bad for the LUNGS as well.. Also gets on your clothes, hair, walls and everything else. :mellow:

And it absolutely does not have the lingering odor that cigs do. Someone smokes some bud round me and I can't still smell it on my clothes hours or days later. No one that I know that smokes bud has an apartment that completely reeks of weed so bad that it's intolerable either.
 

paulttt

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2008
Messages
271
Trophies
1
XP
2,075
Country
If they are going after Health Concerns, then they better go after Alcohol as well.

This exactly. I can't remember who said it, but they put pictures of people with bad teeth, ON ventilators, and pictures of rotting organs on cigarette packets. Why don't they have pictures of car crash victims or accidents caused by drink drivers on bottles of booze?
 

Smoker1

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2015
Messages
5,047
Trophies
1
Location
California
XP
6,068
Country
United States
This exactly. I can't remember who said it, but they put pictures of people with bad teeth, ON ventilators, and pictures of rotting organs on cigarette packets. Why don't they have pictures of car crash victims or accidents caused by drink drivers on bottles of booze?
Also of those on Kidney and Liver Machines, other Health Issues, or those who have been Drugged, Forced Upon, or those that were Drugged-Kidnapped-forced into Human Trafficking??????? Not to mention Kids can still get Alcohol as well. But are they doing anything about all that????? NNNNOOOO!!!!!!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: AncientBoi

Scarlet

Onion Soup
Editorial Team
GBAtemp Patron
Joined
Jan 7, 2015
Messages
5,162
Trophies
2
Location
Middleish North-Right
Website
scarlet.works
XP
14,867
Country
United Kingdom
Prohibition never works.
Honestly, I think reducing advertising in all areas would work better. Equally, making smoking more difficult seems to have been rather effective where I live. This is laws like increasing the limits to which someone can smoke near a door or building, making it illegal to smoke in parks, and other limits. It makes a lot of people quit or at least cut back when they are pressured without taking away their cigarettes
I do agree with a lot of this based on what I've seen myself. My dad is probably the best example I can think of. He smoked for 20+ years and one day we noticed he'd just stopped. It turns out he hadn't smoked for a few weeks at that point, and we only noticed when we spotted he wasn't going out onto the back garden with the dog one evening. It was because he had recently moved to working in a large office building and he couldn't be bothered walking down several flights of stairs every time he wanted to smoke.

Not going to pretend it's so easy for everybody, but hey for some people small changes make big differences. I still do think this ban would be a positive thing, but assuming it falls through (and it probably will), I hope there will be further time spent on looking at what would be feasible to make the biggest impact.
 
  • Like
Reactions: The Catboy

AdenTheThird

The Apathetical Atheist
Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2018
Messages
1,044
Trophies
1
Location
Pacific Ocean
XP
2,317
Country
United States
Also of those on Kidney and Liver Machines, other Health Issues, or those who have been Drugged, Forced Upon, or those that were Drugged-Kidnapped-forced into Human Trafficking??????? Not to mention Kids can still get Alcohol as well. But are they doing anything about all that????? NNNNOOOO!!!!!!!!
It's really funny to me that the guy diverting the conversation about smoking to alcohol is the guy literally named Smoker
 
  • Haha
Reactions: titan_tim

Smoker1

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2015
Messages
5,047
Trophies
1
Location
California
XP
6,068
Country
United States
It's really funny to me that the guy diverting the conversation about smoking to alcohol is the guy literally named Smoker
It's a Army thing. But my Argument is Valid. If they go after Smoking and Nicotine Products, they also need to go after Alcohol, due to all the Health and Safety Concerns with that as well
 

AdenTheThird

The Apathetical Atheist
Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2018
Messages
1,044
Trophies
1
Location
Pacific Ocean
XP
2,317
Country
United States
It's a Army thing. But my Argument is Valid. If they go after Smoking and Nicotine Products, they also need to go after Alcohol, due to all the Health and Safety Concerns with that as well
Gotcha. I didn't mean it as an insult, just a humorous coincidence.

Alcohol has safety and health concerns as well, but if you chase two rabbits they both disappear. I'd rather them take preventative members on one health concern than try to patch both up at once.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Smoker1

Smoker1

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2015
Messages
5,047
Trophies
1
Location
California
XP
6,068
Country
United States
Gotcha. I didn't mean it as an insult, just a humorous coincidence.

Alcohol has safety and health concerns as well, but if you chase two rabbits they both disappear. I'd rather them take preventative members on one health concern than try to patch both up at once.
Not a Problem.

They could go after both, but slowly. They stopped Advertising Tobacco here in the US back in the late 80s, or 90s. But yet Alcohol, they can still Advertise, even though it is Addicting, you can die from it, have Health Issues, Safety Concerns, and even die if you drink too much and get cut off. There have been reports before. I think it was a Year or 2 ago I read about that, and even the CDC even Confirmed it. But yet nothing is being done about it. Even with Warning Labels, and certain Restrictions. Even with Drunk Drivers all the time. You would think they would try to deal with that first, since it is worse than Smoking.
 

AdenTheThird

The Apathetical Atheist
Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2018
Messages
1,044
Trophies
1
Location
Pacific Ocean
XP
2,317
Country
United States
Not a Problem.

They could go after both, but slowly. They stopped Advertising Tobacco here in the US back in the late 80s, or 90s. But yet Alcohol, they can still Advertise, even though it is Addicting, you can die from it, have Health Issues, Safety Concerns, and even die if you drink too much and get cut off. There have been reports before. I think it was a Year or 2 ago I read about that, and even the CDC even Confirmed it. But yet nothing is being done about it. Even with Warning Labels, and certain Restrictions. Even with Drunk Drivers all the time. You would think they would try to deal with that first, since it is worse than Smoking.
My first thought (in the context of America, at least) is the Prohibition era that aimed to do exactly that--aggressively halt the sale and usage of alcohol. Since Prohibition went the way it did, I believe it would be very difficult to re-introduce measures without strong resistance from pro-alcohol groups. There are safety measures that could be implemented that would cause minimal interference, but between the border crisis, keeping the economy in a manageable state, and several global wars that the U.S. is tied to, our country has it's hands full at the moment.

I would even go as far as to say that the homeless and drug usage problems present a greater problem in America than alcohol does. Alcohol can cause problems but can also be used responsibility, and is, most of the time. The same cannot be said for hard drugs which are all over the country right now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: KingVamp

Smoker1

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2015
Messages
5,047
Trophies
1
Location
California
XP
6,068
Country
United States
My first thought (in the context of America, at least) is the Prohibition era that aimed to do exactly that--aggressively halt the sale and usage of alcohol. Since Prohibition went the way it did, I believe it would be very difficult to re-introduce measures without strong resistance from pro-alcohol groups. There are safety measures that could be implemented that would cause minimal interference, but between the border crisis, keeping the economy in a manageable state, and several global wars that the U.S. is tied to, our country has it's hands full at the moment.

I would even go as far as to say that the homeless and drug usage problems present a greater problem in America than alcohol does. Alcohol can cause problems but can also be used responsibility, and is, most of the time. The same cannot be said for hard drugs which are all over the country right now.
I actually looked into the whole Prohibition thing. Was actually due to 1 Religious Group wanting to push-force their Beliefs onto others (Goes against the 1st part of the 1st Amendment, actually). Guess hence why it did not last long.

Yeah, it is all up to the Person that uses those Products or Items. How much they use, or what they use. By doing Bans, they are stripping the Choice away from us, because it is what they want.
As for the Drug problem, they have had a "War on Drugs" for Decades, as far back as the 70s and 80s........nothing is stopping it. So what are some States doing........Decriminalizing most Drugs, and establishing "Safe Use Sites", resulting in problems. News Report showed how it was affecting 1 Area of Oregon, and there is talk about getting rid of the Legalization, because it caused so many Issues.

Both Sides want to force their Views and Beliefs onto People, regardless of how it will Impact People, and regardless if it is Constitutional (depending on other Country's Constitutions or Rights, or Laws). They try to Side Step, or play Word Games with Laws, Rights, or Freedoms that are in place, then it takes Years to show it is Wrong. Same will happen with this. It will cause so many Issues, and any Challenges will take forever to correct.
 

BlueFox gui

SOMEONE
Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2016
Messages
2,960
Trophies
1
Age
24
Location
NAS TERRAS DE HUE BR
XP
3,158
Country
Brazil
its a delicate topic, i read about how once in my country all types of cigars were prohibited by law but it caused the opposite effect, there were drug cartels selling it creatin more issues, even more people were smoking it because the illegal thing is "cool", which was most of the younger population, people should be properly educated about the risks of it, also, a fun thing is that all cigar boxes in my country have extremely gore-ish images with a text saying "this is what happens when you smoke" its scary but it doesn't stop people from smoking :v
 
  • Like
Reactions: Smoker1

JeepX87

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2016
Messages
1,754
Trophies
0
Age
36
XP
3,272
Country
United States
I'm on board with the world wide ban group. One of the most absolutely disgusting habits a person can have and one of the most addicting drugs in the world. Almost all of my friends smoke and going into their homes is one of the most rotten and nastiest smells. I'd rather smell a cats litterbox than that cigarette shit. At least when I went home my clothes wouldnt reek of cat box so bad that I'd have to put them in plastic bags until I wash them, so they don't stink up MY entire home. Which is what cigs do. Literally have to put my clothes in bags after visiting friends who smoke. Fucking gross. Even my hair needs to be washed after a visit or my pillow will reek of cigs if I go to bed without washing it.

Fuck cigarettes.
I agree with you and some of my families, including my mom started to develop asthma at late 50s age after exposed to secondhand smoking in 1960s to late 1980s, and my dad quitted smoking in 1987 before I was born after started to smoke at 15 in 1969. I have to avoid anyone use cigarette and vape don't bother me at all.

My dad said quitting smoking was very hard and miserable, and finally, craving went away for good.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RedColoredStars

titan_tim

(Can't shut up)
Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2009
Messages
462
Trophies
1
Location
Tokyo
XP
2,481
Country
Japan
Early in my kid's lives, every time we heard or saw an ambulance with the sirens on, I'd tell my kids "Oh looks like another smoker is dying".

Now it's Pavlovian whenever they hear an ambulance, they'll say a smoker is dying. They've also seen smokers sometimes outside and ask out loud if that person is going to die from smoking. Sometimes we get looks from the smoker. It makes me so proud.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: x65943

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
    Skelletonike @ Skelletonike: Still a few hours left until I can go home and play some more Stellar Blade :'( +1