Smoking in pubs?

Anyone else hate the ban, the smoke used to mask the smell of urine and stale beer, now the pub smell makes me feel sick.
I gotta go outside for a smoke now, grr, couldn't we have had enforced smoking sections or something.
Oh well, what do you think?

I think clubs smell sweaty now - not that I go to clubs that often - and then it's usually forced upon me so I'm looking for reasons to dislike it.

Now for pubs... I don't really notice those smells you speak of, and as a non-smoker I think the smoking ban was long over due.

I would like to say I feel sorry for smokers - but in all honesty I don't - I don't like the fact that it had an impact on people that choose not to smoke. I don't hate smokers, nothing like that, I think you should have the freedom to do what you want as long as it doesn't affect another person - unfortunately passive smoking does affect another person so having smokers out of the confined spaces is a good idea.

Sectioned off smoking areas would never work - the smoke would always drift into the non-smokers area - so what about pubs that are just for smokers - fine but where do you get the staff from - if the government had let that one slip through they'd have probably been the ones to face some clever lawyer in a few years for numbers of bar staff that have contracted nasty things as a result of passive smoke.

I also personally know quite a few people that have packed it in since the smoking ban which I think is absolutely great. These people were mainly 'social smokers' that only lit up because of the smoky environment they were in so by taking that temptation/excuse/what ever away was a good move for these people.

It's a tough subject. Either way you go, you're forcing something on people who have a differing opinion. It's true that even in places with smoking sections it'll get into the non-smoking area. The only way to go is completely close off the smoking area and give it its own ventilation system.

I think there just needs to be smoking and non-smoking pubs. Bans on smoking in any public place is going over the line in my opinion. Smoking is a bad habit that threatens your health and is a waste of money, but so is eating candy, drinking beer and many other seemingly harmless habits, so who are we to try to snuff it out of existence.

fleurya said:

...Smoking is a bad habit that threatens your health and is a waste of money, but so is eating candy, drinking beer and many other seemingly harmless habits, so who are we to try to snuff it out of existence.

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Good points well made.

But

Eating Candy, Drinking Beer and to a degree taking drugs do not affect innocent people within the same space/area as smoking.

I'm not for 1 second going to try and get round the social issues of drug use and drinking or the health issues of smoking, drinking, bad diet or drug use but smoking is the only one that can directly cause harm to another person.

Indirectly they are all bad in more ways than one.

This for me is a difficult subject - I don't like smoking at all, I hate the smell and I hate that feeling of my throat closing up if I'm in an area that has a lot of smokers (like several members of my family...) BUT I do think that this is a civil liberty that's been taken away from one group and why I personally think it benefits me I also think that as long as governments can get away with stopping people from doing what they have always been able to do then it may not be to far down the road before they are taking away/stopping/banning me from doing something I enjoy as well which will of course be a bad thing - for me at least

I've stopped going to clubs only cause my eyes start burning with the amount of smoke that's in there. No matter what kind of ventilation system they put it, it always results in a smoky cloud.

I don't hate smokers, but I think public places should be kept as healthy as possible. And allowing smokers there is just not healthy.

I smoke, but personally, I hate smoking inside. I'd rather be outside when I have a smoke.

When I go to the pub, I don't want to smell smoke when I'm eating my steak and drinking my Guinness. I don't want to taste an ashtray on my food. It's bad enough I smoke as it is (trying hard to quit right now. Went from 1 pack every 2-3 days to a pack a week)..

Especially the pub in my town. It's a very nice, mellow place to hang out at and enjoy a pint. They have a patio out back with tables and the like if I have to go for a smoke.

I don't like my food tasting of acrid wee, I prefer the smell of smoke.

And if you lived in england, you'd smoke indoors, the weather here is miserable most of the year.
I wouldn't give up smoking because it's not a habbit and it's something I enjoy. I just wish it was cheaper, more than £5 for 20 ****, thats over $10, i don't smoke much, 40 a week maybe, it adds up though.

Perhaps they should make a non harmful smokey type smell that you can add to the air con, then we can get that old pub smell (a little but not to much) back in the pub

You english people pee all over the place is it! I've never had this problem of wee-wee shmell out here...

goobimama said:

You english people pee all over the place is it! I've never had this problem of wee-wee shmell out here...

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Only the ignorant ones (we call them Chavs)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chavs

Trailer Trash to the N Americans ;D

goobimama said:

I've stopped going to clubs only cause my eyes start burning with the amount of smoke that's in there. No matter what kind of ventilation system they put it, it always results in a smoky cloud.

I don't hate smokers, but I think public places should be kept as healthy as possible. And allowing smokers there is just not healthy.

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its not a public place like a park they are privately owned establishments. i think it should be the owners decision. in my town i dont think a nonsmoking bar could compete with smoking bars.

...i dont smoke

sorry but im glad its banned.. i use to go the the pub constantly and i actually had to go out to get away from it. I think there are some stupid points to it as well.. such as, when my dad went to Scotland they had to smoke outside but couldn't take their drinks but they all wanted to smoke so they had to stand in the entrance with 1 hand at each side lol.

I may only like the ban as i hate the smoke and im 15 but the pubs round my place are actually extremely clean (well the 1st im allowed in/go in) mabie if i end up smoking ill think its crap but at the moment i kind of like it as i hate the smell of it, it makes me sick literally.

But i wouldn't mind that if every pub had a smoking room where they could go smoke inside but well away from the people who don't.

...i just think that if there was a demand for non smoking bars, bars would ban smoking.

louishen said:

Perhaps they should make a non harmful smokey type smell that you can add to the air con, then we can get that old pub smell (a little but not to much) back in the pub

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I've never actually seen a pub with aircon, I suppose I don't like poncey pubs though.

Anyway, my pubs are clean, vaccumed and cleaned like anything, but they're old fashioned, most of them haven't been touched since the 60's, thats the way I like it, i hate all these new theme pubs. They're not dirty the smell gets into the fabric or the carpet or something i think.

I agree with RNDdave, it would be fine if it didn't affect the rest of us.
I don't smoke, and I don't plan on it. A lot of people in my family smoke, but luckily they limit it to outside and in their cars, but when someone in my family tries to light up in MY car, i'm not having that, that bugs me the most.
I don't like the smell of smoke, it makes my eyes watery and my throat sore, and after I sit in a car with my father long enough people say I smell like I smoke. My dads ex girlfriend smoked so much in her house that even her cat smelled like smoke. I think a smoking and non smoking pub would be great.

here in the new jersey we just got the ban for smoking in bars and restaurants. personally i dont smoke and neither does my family. i use to hate going into bars and smelling the smoke and when i get home the smell of smoke on my jacket and clothes made me sick. im so happy that there is a ban now and you see more people in bars and restaurants now.

louishen said:

Only the ignorant ones (we call them Chavs)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chavs

Trailer Trash to the N Americans ;D

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or guidos (north jersey, new york thing) cant love them, gotta hate them
they got the blown out hair with 5 pounds of jell, tight clothes, always travel in a group, hit on little 15 year olds, fake jewelry, steroid muscles and a really bad accent.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guido_(slang)

no offense to Italians. you have to see a real guido to now
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j12/paulguynj/guido12.jpg

Just thought i would add a different perspective to all this:

I am a trained bar manager, working for multiple pubs as and when the need arises. I was in charge of a local bar/resteraunt during the period which the ban was introduced. For Staff etc it is undeniable that the atmostphere is better to WORK IN. Many of our regulars were also quite pleased with the ban saying the pub definitly smells better, even if it is awkward for them to have to keep going outside.

That summer (ban came in July 1st) the takings for the resteraunt were much higher then previous years, many familys saying they now feel the kids and that can come out etc. Im not sure how much i personally agree with it but hey, in the end the customers seemed happier...

I do like the fact that i can now go out in an evening and not come home smelling of smoke etc but I do feel with people constantly leaving and coming back to smoke, it can break up the atmosphere of a pub and conversations can sometimes be awkward when the group your with goes down by 40% when the smokers disappear

~~ TS ~~

Not here in Australia as most states have banned smoking in pubs and clubs with the exception of a small, outdoor usually uncovered area reserved for smokers only.

If your favorite pub stinks it is time to change pubs, smoker or non smoker.

Like I say, it's only the poncey yuppy pubs that don't smell.
And when people say "it's unsafe to take the kids into smoking places" i see it as overprotective, second hand smoke aint that harmful.