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The unintended consequences of the smoking ban

On what must have been just about the only sunny day in July, I found myself last week enjoying the evening sunshine sitting outside a London pub with a group of equally sun-loving escapees from an exceptionally tedious conference. Eight tables outside, rapidly filling up, with people who, to a man and woman, were smokers. Serious smokers.

Sod’s law, we were of course downwind of all of them, and within a few minutes, we were driven inside by fear of instantaneous secondary cancer. A smoke-free haven awaited us, but apart from that it was a pretty grotty, entirely unappealing pub. So we moved rapidly on.

I hardly ever used to go into pubs, because of the smoke, but would enjoy sitting outside when weather permitted. No more, it would seem.

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Posted on July 31, 2007 11:22 AM |

Comments (4)

Health Warning - Passive Flying Harms Those Around You

Posted by Caroline | July 31, 2007 3:27 PM

Isn't this a slightly silly post? Even if there had not been a smoking ban, on one of the only days when there has been sunshine this summer, it is likely that the smokers would have been outside smoking even if they could stay inside. This post should be entitled "the consequences of going to the pub on a sunny day".

Posted by helen h | August 1, 2007 10:27 AM

I'm in two minds about the smoking ban either make them illegal or re- introduce smoking rooms in pubs, at this time of the year nearly every pub I visit or drive past has about three or four new patio heaters with smokers huddled underneath puffing away - each to their own I say enjoy your fags whilst you can. Ive just googled the number of pubs in the uk and the count is about 58,000 - with two heaters per pub thats an extra 116,000 emmisions being created by outside heaters and what happens in the winter, more heaters I suppose - how short sighted of the government, maybe the oncomming winter floods and severe weather will put out their fires. We must think of our childrens children they are entitled to a future too.
Visit: http://www.yourplanetneedsyou.org

Posted by Phil Turner | August 29, 2007 10:12 AM

My main beef with the ban has been the 15Kw patio heaters blasting away: not only using up un renewables, but also directly heating the sky!
(also dont ever let anyone tell you anything is irrelevant: 'everything is hitched to everything else' as John Muir out it.
Eric

Posted by ERIC BAIRD | September 25, 2007 12:24 PM

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