What is your position about the Smoking ban in France? About a quarter of France's 60 million people smoke, that's an alarming number. Personally, I am in agreement. I think if you are in a public place, you need to be respectful of other people, they do not have to breathe all the smoke just because you feel to! Second hand smoking is very dangerous.

Quote: PARIS - France's most drastic measure to curb smoking went into effect Wednesday with a full ban on lighting up in cafes, restaurants and discotheques, a sea change for a country where the cigarette came to symbolize the French way of life.

A New Year's Day reprieve allowed revelers their last legal drags in public places before the new law took effect.

"You have to be vigilant. We caught one at the counter this morning," said Maria Boyer at a cafe near the famed Champs-Elysees.

"I just ask people to be nice and avoid the fines," she said, noting that cafe owners who ignore the ban must pay up, too.

Under the measure, those caught lighting up inside face a $93 fine, while owners who turn a blind eye to smoking in their establishments face a $198 fine.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap_travel/200801...yO782s0NUE

Yeah I think it was a good move as well.

I mean if you want to smoke, that's your choice, don't force others to harm their bodies as well. Plus although a place is public, it doesn't necessarily mean that others have to put up with your stuff as well. When they have the need to smoke they just go to a special section designed just for them, and not to interfere with others. Plus there is often children in those public areas inhaling the smoke, which is harmful to them...

Let's see if other countries start to do the same.

The worldwide smoking ban is an interesting turn of events. It may look like actions carried out in good faith for the masses but does anyone look in the other direction and realize that we are losing our freedom to make our own choices? Wrapping a social issue around a health agenda is called using Propaganda and is an old communist and fascist tactic.
Look at this issue from an economical perspective. They are not banning tobacco, so they make money from smoking in one direction and then in the other direction they start up an entire new money making market which includes all methods and means for those who attempt to stop smoking. If you smoke, you are still a taxpayer yet you are forbidden the rights of all other taxpayers.
Years ago I was an Operating Technician. When doctors opened a patient, the tumor did not announce itself as a smoking tumor, an environmental tumor or as a tumor caused by anything. I recently talked to a doctor who is a Lung Specilist and off the record, behind closed doors and in private he admitted the concept of second hand smoke is fabricated to push the health agenda of the elite...
Never hurts to think in another direction or to expand our perspective as to what true objective is really pushing a social movement.

Regards Mikal

As a nonsmoker with borderline asthma, I hate to go into smoky areas. Unfortunately, people smoke everywhere, especially out in the open. You can't stop them from doing that. But it infringes on my right to breathe clean air. Therefore, if they do ban it in restaurants and such, at least I know there are places I can go without suffering an asthma attack.

Yes, I agree it may be "propaganda" and perhaps "wrapping a social issue around a health agenda", but smoking and its harmful contents are real. Just because one lung specialist doesn't believe "the hype" doesn't mean it's propaganda. You will never find a consensus amongst doctors regarding any issue. I'm sure the lung specialist can't deny that smoking is a major contributor to COPD, which is a major health problem.

And, like you say, it never hurts to look at things from different perspectives. Since the smoking ban came into effect, many pubs in England feel their business has declined because smokers aren't coming in. So, in effect, some businesses are suffering and the recession doesn't help. Of course, pubs and restaurants with outdoor seating which allows for smoking are still doing OK. But with businesses closing, that's lost revenue from the economy. The tobacco industry does bring in lots of money.

May I call you Dig....I like shortening names...

I completely respect you are an ashmatic and understand that as my sister is also and from birth. Not a nice thing...struggling for breath.

However, I have looked at the smoking ban issue from a different perspective and is it coincidental that the Smoking Ban Movement came first, weakening our economy, closing down bars, restaurants..etc...then came our economic collapse. Well most of us know we are being prepared for a world currency and even as I speak...Obama, Harper and Mexico's president are meeting and more than likely considering the next step in that process.

I have also looked at the Smoking Ban Movement as to creating dissension within society. It kind of makes you think about the old adage...United we stand, divided we fall....

Nice to chat with you.....

Regards Mikal

I don't know if the smoking ban weakened the economy, but I do know that many businesses will argue that it contributed.

I don't oppose the ban in public places such as public transport (a fire in the subway is too dangerous - has already happened at least once) and inside restaurants (smoking sections never helped). But a ban on smoking out in the street, inside private cars, in people's homes (all of which have been discussed) for the sake of children's health goes a little over the top. How can you possibly enforce it?

If the priority is to get people to quit smoking, which will reduce the health care burden, you need to address smoking itself, the reasons behind it, the addiction, etc. However, on the downside, what about the economic burden? As I've said, the tobacco industry is big bucks. Raising the price of cigarettes or increasing the tax has not stopped people from smoking. It makes them give up good stuff for the sake of tobacco. They grumble, but they'll pay for it. Supposedly, the extra money goes back into health care for these people, but I wonder. Yet, if you think about what would happen if everyone did stop smoking, what happens to the tobacco industry? The execs would move on to other things, but what about the little people working there? Some would say that the tobacco industry is there to guarantee jobs for doctors.

As for dissension, the world would be very boring if everyone felt the same way and thought exactly the same way. That's not to say that we should go to war over every issue.

(08-10-2009 10:09 AM)Digressor Wrote:  I don't know if the smoking ban weakened the economy, but I do know that many businesses will argue that it contributed.

I don't oppose the ban in public places such as public transport (a fire in the subway is too dangerous - has already happened at least once) and inside restaurants (smoking sections never helped). But a ban on smoking out in the street, inside private cars, in people's homes (all of which have been discussed) for the sake of children's health goes a little over the top. How can you possibly enforce it?

If the priority is to get people to quit smoking, which will reduce the health care burden, you need to address smoking itself, the reasons behind it, the addiction, etc. However, on the downside, what about the economic burden? As I've said, the tobacco industry is big bucks. Raising the price of cigarettes or increasing the tax has not stopped people from smoking. It makes them give up good stuff for the sake of tobacco. They grumble, but they'll pay for it. Supposedly, the extra money goes back into health care for these people, but I wonder. Yet, if you think about what would happen if everyone did stop smoking, what happens to the tobacco industry? The execs would move on to other things, but what about the little people working there? Some would say that the tobacco industry is there to guarantee jobs for doctors.

As for dissension, the world would be very boring if everyone felt the same way and thought exactly the same way. That's not to say that we should go to war over every issue.

Hi Dig….here in Canada people are now being fined if they are caught smoking in their car for example a man stepped out of his car to smoke beside it but the sheer presence of a child in the back seat seemed to justify the fine.

Landlords are now specifying “you smoke, you cannot live here.”

Selling outlets were enforced to invest in a wall cabinet which hides the actual cigarettes. The cabinet itself is $5000.00 plus the fees to install the cabinet. Many small corner stores closed down as the investment turned out to be too heavy for them.

In the selling outlets, the money must be exchanged before the cabinet door can even be opened to expose the cigarettes.

I was recently at the North American Races watching my sister’s horse’s race when a man about 30 entered the raceway with an unlit cigarette in his ear. Security and Ontario Provincial Police approached him and told him to leave the premises. The man abit shocked ask why, the police grabbed the cigarette from his ear and told him he could not stay. This was abit dramatic because one can smoke outside the facility while watching the races. The man and his wife were escorted out and led by two police cars, one in front and one following until he was completely off the property.

In all this you can plainly see the element of control, the loss of our freedom to make our own decisions and choices and complete security monitoring that enforces compliance to changes orchestrated by social engineers who understand how to manipulate the social, economic, political and judicial forces inherent within society.

As for dissention, I firmly believe diversity of feelings and thoughts makes life interesting and is the way life works but I also know there is a distinction between natural diversity and the power to create open animosity in a society of people. Therefore I see the Smoking Ban Movement as creating more problems than solving any problem.

Regards Mikal

That is extreme and I cannot see how long that kind of enforcement could last. I know here in Britain, it would not even begin. Even if they should pass those laws, I think cops would turn the other way for the most part. When it becomes that extreme, there is a loss of freedom.

Yes, I've seen rent ads stating "no smokers", but I think it's just because they don't want their house to smell or get stained. I've seen similar things before the ban, so I don't think it's that. I mean, some even say, "no pets, no children".

Thanks so much Dig for sharing some news from Britain. I do agree the effects of this particular movement are creating a new series of serious problems for Canadians in the realm of freedom.

I noted the problems from insignificant like the rental issue to the more significant problems surfacing so you could realize that the Movement is complex in relationship to just how serious the Issue becomes in any one society of people.

Thanks again...Mikal

thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts .

i am from india i would like to share one interesting fact about smoking in public places. if you smoke at public places that has huge imapct on childrens ,they would also try to emulate you from little age. so it sends wrong information to the children.

there are some people they will smoke only by the impact of movies and local conditions. at least we can minimise this type of incidents.

we can't stop people smoking those who has habit. atleast we can restrict them.

thanks
Bharath