Well done Spain....

[R1Geezer]

http://news.sky.com/s...t_Anti-Cigarette_Laws
How long do you think it will be before this digusting habit is just a comedic note in history? What are the next steps the civilised world must make? Do smokers have an idea how badly they smell?

[mushroom25]

<<Well said,naomi,I have never seen or heard of anyone killing somebody after they have been smoking.(Normal Cigs here I am talking about). >>

http://www.euroclinix...train-tracks-245.html

OK so this didn't actually result in death, but it could have done. clearly some smokers are passionate enough about their pastime to risk someone else's life to protect it.

[Dris]

Well think case is rested-thnks for that link mushroom.
Some people like Naomi just like to try to push the boundaries of a debate but just sometimes its a lost cause and there is no aruement even with the people who smoke -what a duller that must be :)
No offence naomi -a little debate is what AB is about but just sometimes one has to concede they are p!ssing against the wind !! :)

[Le Chat]

That headline made me smile, as when we were in Spain last September we noticed that people were actually smoking in the bars, whereas they weren't the year before!! I have Spanish relatives and let me tell you, they love their fags!! x

[mushroom25]

that might have just been down to which bar you were in, le chat. until today, the law that applied was that bars under 100m2 area had to decide whether to be a smoking or non smoking establishment, and this had to be prominently displayed. bars over 100m2 had to provide separate smoking and non smoking areas.

it seemed to me (when visiting my parents at Perello) to be an excellent compromise, allowing everybody a degree of choice.

[B00]

*blows smoke rings at R1*

(actually, i can't do them- but i'd love to be able to!)

[Dris]

Dont cha just love people who read the entire thread before commenting or adding further to a a previous post?
Thats AB for you and no B00 im not being sarcy im really laughing and boy could i do smoke rings -found a different skill for my talent now tho;)

[naomi24]

Dris, If I knew what you were talking about it might help. However, suffice to say that since no one else is discussing the hypocrisy of legislation that I‘ve highlighted, I'm not debating anything - merely stating an opinion.

[Oneeyedvic]

Naomi - banning smoking would not work - just as banning illegal drugs does not mean that we have no drug problem in this country. The only thing that they can do is make it more and more difficult for smokers - by taxing it, by making it antisocial, by saying where you can't smoke etc, which is what they are doing very effectively.

10 years ago, a normal meeting of 20 people would have seen at least half of them smoking. That has changed dramatically now and only 10-20% of people smoke (this is purely me experience and people I speak to - I don;t have time to research the actual facts, but I am pretty certain that the number of people smoking has dropped significantly).

[boxtops]

Agree with mushroom about the earlier rules in Spain, we are there regularly and our favourite bar chose to have a separate smoking room. Others could choose last year to be smoking or non-smoking zones - now presumably this is overridden.
I do have a vested interest, my OH smokes but as with many friends and family, has only done so out of doors for years. IMO he won't notice much change when we next go back, only that it's a rule rather than an option.

[jno]

boxy, your vested interest could work the other way - at least that's the intention of the law - your OH could be encouraged to give up, your children or grandchildren could be encouraged not to start. Do wonders for your family's life expectancy.

[naomi24]

Vic, I'm not for one moment suggesting they ban it - simply that they are hypocritical in failing to treat it in the same way they treat other drugs by making it illegal..

[Hopkirk]

Well there are plenty of people saying making drugs illegal hasn't worked, and the American prohibition of alcohol wasn't a raging success.

[naomi24]

I think I must be speaking Chinese. I'm off. :o/

[Oneeyedvic]

Naomi, I can see your argument, however current figures are that 21% of the population smoke - it would be a brave decision to make criminals of 1 in 5
People. Much better to educate and / or tax people out of the habit.

Think about driving - there are many thousands of deaths from driving each year but the government tax us for this - do you think that this is hypocritical? They have educated people and taxed prophecies the road (far less drink / driving and speeding and even petrol guzzlers on the road now)

[naomi24]

Vic, if you saw what I'm saying you wouldn't be explaining why you think it should remain legal. Which bit of //I'm not for one moment suggesting they ban it// don't you understand? Yes, I'm definitely speaking Chinese.

Bye bye - and I wish you a very happy New Year Vic.

[anotheoldgit]

Well done Spain....

That's unnecessary praise for a country that supports the slaughter of innocent animals as a national spectator-sport

[boxtops]

..but much less than it did, AOG, and that is in no way attempting to defend the "sport", I think it's gross. Tourists don't seem as keen to go as they used to be, IMO.

[jno]

in that case, aog, surely it's necessary praise? If they don't get praise for doing things right, why would they bother doing so in future?

[Sqad]

AOG...the "Well Done Spain" was in reference to it´s new smoking laws........nothing to do with Bull Fighting.