Comment on Catherine Holmes Post on Smoking

http://cat-beingbad.blogspot.com/2007/03/smoking.html


"HOWEVER, I do not want to die from a disease caused by inconsiderate people choking me with their smoke..."


I agree with everything you say with smoking and that it is bad; it does indeed lead to smoking related diseases. What I do not agree with is the fact you say you do not want to die from the result of other people's smoke. Where is the medical evidence? There is no study that proves passive smoking can kill. Yes, smoking can be detrimental to your health but there are more hazardous activities we could be doing to ourselves, such as taking Class A drugs.

Drugs lead to more harm than anything else: crime, social deprivation, mental health problems and in some cases, death! Smoking does not lead to these problems. It can kill, but over a long period of time. Drugs are becoming even more detrimental problem to the NHS than smoking ever has been.

Do you believe people are inconsiderate if they smoke in designated areas like the situation always has been? Yes, again, I can agree the smell of smoke is unpleasant, but this is a minor cosmetic benefit rather than a major reason for banning smoking.


There is also a lack of evidence that when the ban comes into affect that people shall indeed quit. Back home in Scotland there has been no impact on smoking sales or reduction in smoking levels like the Government wants to see. All it has done is affected local publicans, bars, cafes and restaurants trade. That is not what the smoking ban is about; putting people out of work.

I merely put the case through that once one thing can be banned where does it end. Of course, the law is the law and I would never break it. There are, however, reasonable limits to what is allowed, and can be introduced, and what is not. How would you feel the the government decided to stop the sale of alcohol or restrict what you can do in your home?

I believe we have more important issues on the current political agenda than a ban on smoking; taxes, immigration, environmental issues and many others.