Topic: MPs back smoking ban for those born after 2009

[RayPhilAlan]

Was the withdrawal of the law connected in any way to the formation a new coalition government and the need to give-way to minority party interests? I'm sure New Zealanders will be better informed that me.

Yes, one of the minority parties in particular receives enough funding from tobacco companies to insist on the similar NZ law being changed when our new coalition government came in at the end of last year.

Massive outcry here from all the health agencies, but what would they know?
 

[Wabaloolah]

I’m guessing you don’t live in the UK, but over here indoor bans are not enforced by non-smokers. They’re enforced by property owners, under threat of a heavy fine. And where I live people smoking weed on the street is not unusual and neither the police nor the public seem bothered. The police don’t have the resources to investigate house burglaries, let alone smoking a fag on the street.
The only way an outdoor ban could be enforced here is by recruiting a smoke-free gestapo patrolling the streets at tax-payers’expense. Is that something you’d want?

seems like you don't want smoking banned, investing in a "smoke-free Gestapo" now will save the NHS billions in smoking related diseases further down the line.

[Speedy Molby]

seems like you don't want smoking banned, investing in a "smoke-free Gestapo" now will save the NHS billions in smoking related diseases further down the line.

There are more than 800,000 streets in the UK, many of which are too long to be covered by a single smoke-free enforcer. So that’s upwards of a million enforcers that will be needed or some smokers will continue to get away with it.
Presumably they would work eight hour shifts so to make it effective 24/7 you would multiply that by three, so that’s around four million enforcers.
But then what about parks, beaches, forests and so on? How many good citizens will it take to make our liberal democracy a smoke-free utopia?

[thaddeus]

There are more than 800,000 streets in the UK, many of which are too long to be covered by a single smoke-free enforcer. So that’s upwards of a million enforcers that will be needed or some smokers will continue to get away with it.
Presumably they would work eight hour shifts so to make it effective 24/7 you would multiply that by three, so that’s around four million enforcers.
But then what about parks, beaches, forests and so on? How many good citizens will it take to make our liberal democracy a smoke-free utopia?

Like similar laws though it would largely be an empty threat but sufficient to make most people follow the law.  Using a mobile phone whilst driving is similar and, although some idiots do ignore the law as the chances of being caught are so incredibly low, the vast majority of people adhere to it.

[Speedy Molby]

Like similar laws though it would largely be an empty threat but sufficient to make most people follow the law.  Using a mobile phone whilst driving is similar and, although some idiots do ignore the law as the chances of being caught are so incredibly low, the vast majority of people adhere to it.

It was suggested by someone on here, not by a politician. Just pointing out it would be impractical as well as authoritarian.

[Wabaloolah]

There are more than 800,000 streets in the UK, many of which are too long to be covered by a single smoke-free enforcer. So that’s upwards of a million enforcers that will be needed or some smokers will continue to get away with it.
Presumably they would work eight hour shifts so to make it effective 24/7 you would multiply that by three, so that’s around four million enforcers.
But then what about parks, beaches, forests and so on? How many good citizens will it take to make our liberal democracy a smoke-free utopia?

You don't have to police every street FFS, if there was an outdoor smoking ban, which there should be, smoking would become taboo.

Why do you want to be able to infect innocent people's lungs with someone else's smoke?

Liberal democracies have laws you know, in 1983 it became illegal not to wear a seatbelt in the front seat of a car, the vast majority of people abide by that now.

Some will ignore it for sure as some ignore drink driving laws, seatbelt laws. There will be some that still smoke in public places inside.

You will still be able to smoke in your house you know and continue to pollute the lungs of your nearest and dearest

[Jiminy Cricket]

There are more than 800,000 streets in the UK, many of which are too long to be covered by a single smoke-free enforcer. So that’s upwards of a million enforcers that will be needed or some smokers will continue to get away with it.
Presumably they would work eight hour shifts so to make it effective 24/7 you would multiply that by three, so that’s around four million enforcers.
But then what about parks, beaches, forests and so on? How many good citizens will it take to make our liberal democracy a smoke-free utopia?

You don't have to police every street FFS, if there was an outdoor smoking ban, which there should be, smoking would become taboo.

Why do you want to be able to infect innocent people's lungs with someone else's smoke?

Liberal democracies have laws you know, in 1983 it became illegal not to wear a seatbelt in the front seat of a car, the vast majority of people abide by that now.

Some will ignore it for sure as some ignore drink driving laws, seatbelt laws. There will be some that still smoke in public places inside.

You will still be able to smoke in your house you know and continue to pollute the lungs of your nearest and dearest

Until we each have our own personal police officer, shadowing our every move, there is no point of having a law against murder I tell ya.

[Barneylfc∗]

A welcome move. They're absolutely everywhere. At least most smokers use an ashtray, these c*nts just fuck their single use vapes on the ground

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-68942366

The sale and supply of single use vapes will be banned in Northern Ireland by April 2025.

Environment Minister Andrew Muir said while the timeline was "extremely ambitious", he recognised "strong support" for a ban.

Across the UK, an estimated five million single use vapes are thrown away or incorrectly disposed of weekly.

Analysis of litter in NI found vapes contribute as much to litter totals as single use cups and food waste.

The minister said there had been an "alarming" rise.

"Single use vape waste introduces plastic, nicotine salts, metals and lithium-ion batteries into the environment and can have a devastating impact on our environment and biodiversity.

"It's estimated that as many as five million single use vapes are simply thrown away in residual bins or littered every week across the UK, rather than being recycled."

A single use vapes working group has been formed between Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.

Under current plans, each nation will progress its own legislation and have agreed to work towards a joint coming into force date of 1 April 2025.

In the 2023 UK government consultation, 90.4% of individual respondents from Northern Ireland agreed there should be restrictions on the sale and supply of single use vapes and 84.9% agreed that restrictions should take the form of a ban on their sale and supply.

The Northern Ireland head of the Asthma + Lung UK charity welcomed the announcement of the ban as a "huge win" for lung health.

"Single use vapes are increasingly visible in our schools, hooking our children on nicotine and littering our streets," said Joseph Carter.

"This year we surveyed a thousand people in Northern Ireland and over 80% said they are concerned about children and young people vaping with no history of smoking and the use of vapes in schools.

"If you're a smoker and you want to quit tobacco, vaping can be a helpful way to give up smoking.

"But for children and those who don't smoke, starting to vape isn't a good idea, especially if you have a lung condition." 

[LuverlyRita]

A welcome move. They're absolutely everywhere. At least most smokers use an ashtray, these c*nts just fuck their single use vapes on the ground

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-68942366

The sale and supply of single use vapes will be banned in Northern Ireland by April 2025.

I occasionally take part in litter picks in our green spaces and single vapes, along with laughing gas cannisters, are a nightmare.

[Fromola]

How about actually stopping all the smelly bastards smoking skunk all over the place and stinking everywhere out?

At least vapes are far less intrusive than cigarettes and weed. Get rid of them all by all means.

[Speedy Molby]

You don't have to police every street FFS, if there was an outdoor smoking ban, which there should be, smoking would become taboo.

Why do you want to be able to infect innocent people's lungs with someone else's smoke?

Liberal democracies have laws you know, in 1983 it became illegal not to wear a seatbelt in the front seat of a car, the vast majority of people abide by that now.

Some will ignore it for sure as some ignore drink driving laws, seatbelt laws. There will be some that still smoke in public places inside.

You will still be able to smoke in your house you know and continue to pollute the lungs of your nearest and dearest

I only questioned how a hypothetical ban that hasn't even been proposed would be enforced. There's no need for personal attacks based on wrong assumptions.