teachers smoking

[jamwan55]

now that theres no smoking in public places in scotland i wonder where the school teachers have a ciggy. surely they cant be seen out at the school gates having a fly puff in full view of the kids or their parents... makes you wonder

[smudge]

Good morning & thank you for that link Dot - makes interesting reading!

Clarion - p'raps you should take a leaf out of undercovers book & agree to disagree, rather than keep trying to prove that you are 100% right!

We all have different opinions on this subject & mine tend to side in with jamwan's last post! Over the years, we've left restaurants earlier than anticipated, due to other people's stinking cigarette, cigar & pipe smoke! It plays havoc with my sinuses!

Have a lovely day all.

[brawburd]

Roy Castle most certainly didn't influence my opinion on passive smoking. You're not doing your argument any favours Clarion by prattling on about him. Give people some credit eh?

I think a lot of what you say is right, and of course alcohol causes immense problems in very many ways. But that's not an argument against passive smoking, that's an argument about alcohol.

My own view is that passive smoking does impact on the health of others. I'm not a scientist but I've seen enough research to convince me. On a personal level, have never smoked and was always of the opinion "live and let live". Two things changed the way I felt about this: (1) contracting bronchitis and laryngitis after an evening in a very smoky pub, frightening when you can't get your breath, and this always comes back if I am in a similar situation, and (2) a 36 year old friend, non-smoker, dying of lung cancer after several years as a musician in smoky clubs and pubs. I don't offer this as irrefutable evidence that passive smoking caused either BUT you'd have to be pretty thick or just ostriched to not consider there may be a connection.

I do have a lot of sympathy for smokers because it must be so hard to give up.

Jamwan - my mum is a school cook and for some time none of the school staff have been allowed to smoke in the grounds. Basically if a teacher wants to smoke they wait until lunchtime, jump in their car and go round the corner out of sight and in their own time. As a council worker myself I know that smoking while in work hours or on work premises is a disciplinary, potential sacking, issue. Probably only a matter of time before someone is made an example of.

[brawburd]

I also don't think that tobacco companies not being successfully sued is a very bad way to support an argument against the dangers of passive smoking. The politics involved in such a case are frighteningly complex and governments , whatever their stated policies about passive smoking, don't have much to gain from tobaco companies going under. I am sure the British and American governments would be happy to support the failure of such cases, at least privately, and certainly economically.

[brawburd]

of course that first sentence should have read *think* rather than *don't think*!

[sholay]

re eddie51's post: I think banning a person from contacting children for life just because they smoke is slightly OTT.

[brawburd]

Clarion - I think your posts have shown that's an own goal for you!

[patc7641]

I live in Scotland and I think we can be proud as a nation to have taken this forward into the 21st century. Clarions point is correct on alcohol, but at present it would be totally unrealistic to ban alcohol as over 90% of adults drink to a lesser or greater extent. Smokers account for only 25% of adults. It will also help people give up smoking totally, surely there can be no argument that it is a filthy disgusting habit and should never be imposed on people. If tobacco was discovered now it would never be allowed for public consumption. As for those teachers, well tough, they are supposed to be moulding hearts and minds, hardly setting a good influence at the school gate is it. If they are unable to have that self discipline then maybe its not the job for them.

[gedtagius]

Hogging a thread? What are you talking about? This isn't a public house row where the loudest voice is the only one heard. No10 has a bee in his bonnet over this issue &, although I don't entirely agree with what he is saying, he is entitled to answer & give HIS opinion! If anyone else has an opinion they can chip in - No10 cannot & is not shouting anyone down - just giving an opinion! If he wants to reply on every further issue raised then that is his right. It's called freedom of speech.

I disagree with a lot of what he is saying but his views are always very well presented & must confess that I could 'listen' to the old 'bag of wind' all day!

I AM a smoker. I like to think a considerate one - but perhaps that is a contradiction in itself! Any ban to prevent '2nd hand smoking' is fine by me! I do not have to have anything proved to me - the mere suspicion that it could harm others is enough!

No10 has a very valid point about the risk to health, others safety etc etc caused by booze! Although to say that boozing is self inflicted harm, that affects only the toper, is a good point, try & convince anyone who is, or has been in the business of keeping law & order that it is totally true!

Keep on answering questions & putting your views across No10 (Unless of course you start chuntering on about football & Man U - then I shall question your right to reply!) I find you entertaining & a 'Master debater' but as a fork-lift driver I'm sure you have been informed of that favt by many a HGV 1 !!

[Loosehead]

Well 10cs here's a strong opinion. I don't care if passive smoking is bad or not. The fundemental point you miss is that it's a smelly disgusting unpleasant habit that makes the room uncomfortable for everyone else. I don't care if it's harmless or not you cannot deny it does have an effect. I don't go around pouring my lager down other peoples throats do I. That's the difference!

[Loosehead]

Look 10cs we know you have a downer on alcohol, you manage to steer a lot of debates that way but you still refuse to acknowledge the one indisputable fact, out lined in my last post and it is a strong opinion I find it smelly disgusting and I avoid it if possible. Are you saying that I am somehow not entitled to be iritated just because in your opniion passive smoking is harmless? Do you not acknowledge the comparison I am trying to make? I agree with most of your points about booze, here and on previous threads all I'm syaing is that if someone is in the room drinking it does not detract from my activities, ie I do not passively absorb it do I?

You have clearly had a bad alcohol related experience and that makes you determined to re focus any debate with the merest suggestion of relevance, blinkered?? mmm "Me thinks he doth protest too much"

[smudge]

I thought the question was asking about 'Smoking'.

My father-in-law sadly died at the very young age of 54 years. We were told it was cancer of the lungs & brain - due to him being a smoker.

Smoking is very harmful - end of!

[PhilBy]

Why is it air extraction is deemed safe enough for those working with extremely hazourdous substances but not safe enough to prevent 'second hand' smoke from bar workers?

For those who believe that alcohol only effects the comsumer try visiting an A & E at any hospital on any weekend evening for evidence to the contrary.

[beejaybee]

I`m a heavy smoker. When I was in hospital I had my oxygen levels taken. The nurse did it twice as she did not believe the reading. My levels were 97%. Higher than a lot of non smokers. I object to being told where I can smoke. As a non drinker, I hate the smell of alcohol, but I don`t preach to pubs etc to close their doors in the summer as I hate the smell. Alcohol causes more damage/ harm/deaths than smoking does. You don`t get fights breaking out because of the effects of smoking. Police don`t man the city centers because of "smoking related trouble. You don`t get "smoking & driving" offences. Leave us smokers alone.