Smoking Ban

The UK have followed various countries (including NZ's) lead and banned smoking in all pubs and clubs. Funnily enough, as a dirty smoker, I don't actually mind this move.

Smoking ban in all pubs and clubs
Smoking in pub
Ministers have argued about the extent of a ban
MPs have voted by huge margins to ban smoking from all pubs and private members' clubs in England.

Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said the change, expected to take effect in summer 2007, would "save thousands of people's lives".

I was at home when the smoking ban kicked in and recall the howls of derision from the 'civil liberties advocates' - they sounded a touch shallow in their outrage. To me, as always, it was about the praticality of such a move. How would a Friday night in Courtenay Place be with a bunh of pissed up faggers bumping into eachother be?

The pleasant surprise was that it was no great drama. And literally a week after the ban was introduced - I saw a family with young children enjoying a lunch at Danny Doolans - this would have previously been unthinkable.

But smoking is so emedded in the culture over here that I am sure the push back will be much firmer. The money quote so far during this evenings coverage - 'smoking is a way of life for us!' Get a grip lady - it's a way of death for all that partake - now there will simply be a few less innocent bystanders.

The question to me remains, if smoking is so inherently bad, a confirmed and acknowledged killer, then why not ban it completely?

Ah, tax. And the realities of politics. Bless.