Curly's Corner Shop, the blog!

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Smoking

David Miliband wants your help.

Our member of Parliament, and Cabinet Minister, David Miliband wants your help in deciding which way to vote on the issue of a total ban on smoking in pubs and clubs. Labour members are about to be given a free vote in the House which means a total ban on smoking may be on the cards, irrespective of the opposition of figures such as John Reid, the former Health Secretary.

At present private members clubs are exempt from the ban, but this could change, and as a member of The Cleadon Club and The Whiteleas Club this may prove quite difficult for David's image!
I too am a member of a private club where the staff and the clients are used to smoking in the bar with a pint (all be it, a well ventilated bar). I personally have no objections to this exemption, there has to be some finally sanctuary for the smokers who are becoming increasingly marginalised and treated like criminals. The staff in private members clubs know very well that smoking will take place, and if it is uncomfortable for them they would probably seek work in a cleaner environment. If it is well known that these clubs allow smoking then many non-smokers will make their own decisions to frequent them or work in them, nobody will feel forced to breath someone elses smoke.
Smokers are now in danger of being made to smoke only in their own homes, it will be banned in the workplace, pubs, public buildings, hospital grounds, some public parks, football grounds, and near schools. Some local Councils are even introducing plans to serve fixed penalties on those who drop a cigarette butt in the streets, and some health authorities are threatening to make smokers forego treatment.

When one considers the arguements given for the additional expenditure incurred by the NHS through smoking, one should also consider the additional revenue generated from smokers by The Treasury.

I firmly believe that the status quo should be maintained for fear of alienating yet another section of society.

It seems that motorists and smokers are being treated like the Jews (God's chosen people - i.e. chosen for persecution!)

You can contact David (who is a non-smoker) through his website, which is featured in the side panel.

You might also like to take part in the poll running on the message board, and I'll make sure that David gets to see the results.

Curly's Corner Shop Message Board poll

# posted by Curly : 8:13 pm

Comments:

I say, private clubs, "Okay."

It is a legal activity, and if the bylaws of the club warn that smoking is permitted, then the "passive" smoker has "consented" to the possible health risk (by joining).

For the club, I would have everyone sign a waiver, though, to avoid future tort liability (from a passive smoker--and even the active smoker, who might later say the club "encouraged him to hurt himself.)

# posted by

Zen Wizard : 8:44 pm