i agree with you on the smoke from the people sat at the cake shop... i hold my breath as i go in to be honest.... they shouldnt be allowed right by the doorways... its not fair for those with lung problems
Yet you are happy with petrol & diesel exhaust fumes from cars & buses driving through there? These are a lot more dangerous than cigarette smoke....why not ban traffic from there?
Why is this becoming an anti-smokers thread?
Smoking tobacco is not illegal. Smokers contribute £11billion to the UK economy each year, whilst the maximum estimated cost in health issues is £4.5 billion (mainly because every illness from lung cancer to earache is blamed on smoking)! And yet they are treated on a daily basis worse than junkies, burglars and other anti-social criminals. Easy target perhaps?
If all smokers stopped tommorow:
(a) the Government would lose £11 billion each year;
(b) the estimated cost of alleged tobacco related illnesses of £4.5 billion would continue for at least the next 25 years (tobacco related illnesses are long term effect and assuming these diseases are actually solely related to the use of tobacco). I would also point out that unleaded fuel (banned by the anti-lead health police brigade in the 1980's who disapperaed from the scene back to their holes in the ground when the truth came out, but was conveniently forgotten by the Government as by then they had increased taxes enough to compensate), is actually more carcinogenic than the old fuel or tobacco!!;
(c) seeing the effect of reduced Government revenues currently experienced, what other services would be lost to the UK population (no reduction in foreign aid, I assure you) with the loss of £11 billion each year?
(d) To compensate for this loss of revenue, each taxpayer would have to pay a further £6.40 per week in taxes to break even (Government figures, not mine!).
However, I agree that the inhalation of cigarette smoke is harmful (at least to the actual smoker).
However, alcohol causes a greater cost to the NHS (Check NHS websites for details), Obesity is also a major drain on NHS resources. I would therefore propose a £4 duty (the equivalent of the duty on a packet of cigarettes) on every packet of sweets, cakes, lemonade, etc to finance the cost of obesity; a further £4 a pint duty on beer and cider, and £12 a bottle duty on spirits to pay for the costs to the NHS for these substances.
Also remember, that the smokers who congregate outside cafes, pubs, etc are there because the anti-smoking brigade have forced them there!
I therefore further propose a total ban on consuming alcohol where others may be affected or encouraged by the actions of drinkers, e.g. in pubs, cinemas, restuarants or in the street.
I further propose a complete ban on the eating (at work, in public places like pubs, parks or the streets), of any substance likely to cause obesity, e.g. sweets, cakes, crisps, etc.
ChatterBox