Scottish smoking ban set

[MeridianFC]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3996587.stm

Spring of 2006. I've had some lively discussions with friends from North of the border lately. As with everywhere this discussion comes up folks have been very passionate on both sides of the debate. There's even a bit about this in the new "What's Brewing" (I'm on target for a hat trick for mentioning that esteemed paper, maybe I should get a prize?). An interesting point brought up in WB was that many of the pubs have only themselves to blame since they've down nowt for nonsmokers for the past, oh, hundred years. A friend from Glasgow mentioned that the landlord at his local finally installed a "smoke eater" but was only doing this in response to the calls for the smoking ban.

There was some discussion about allowing certain pubs that were able to set up separate smoking and non areas but I think that's out the window now.

[Wilson]

How have the Irish fared? I heard that owners were afraid of loosing pub business.

[chazwicke]

I have heard that smoking bans never really cause loss of business and though there might be an immediate slow down but business usually returns to normal or exceeds normal levels. I'm not certain that this is true but I have heard it a number of times.

My feeling is that there should NOT be a mandatory ban. I think it should be up to the publican to decide. Having said that, I am a non smoker and prefer non smoking environments but smoking usually does not prevent me from patronizing an establishment.

[zoom6zoom]

Chaz, I've heard that Montgomery County has seen business increase since their ban went into effect (everyone said it was going to kill business). Prince Georges County is now looking at following suit. (Both jurisdictions in Maryland for those from outside the area).

[MeridianFC]

I've heard conflicting things about both NYC and Ireland. The only thing I have to go on was my last visit up to NYC when all the bars I went to were packed to the gills, granted it was a weekend.

The one statistic that I've heard bandied about was that the pub owners claim 70% of their sales are to smokers and the counter argument is that 70% of the population doesn't smoke (this was for Scotland).

[Richard English]

The results that I have heard are that there is an immediate and significant drop in sales as many smokers stay away. And after a few days they start to creep back when they realise that their desire for a pint at the pub is stronger than their desire for a gasper.

After a few more weeks, all those who (like most asthmatics) never go into pubs because of the smoke, begin to try out the new environment and discover that, wonder of wonders, they can breathe without choking, open their eyes without being blinded by tears and, best of all, get back home without smelling like an ashtray.

So they start to use the pubs more and, lo and behold, after a few months the trade is better than it was before the ban.

Of course, the smoking lobby (a very well- funded one) will still keep up their barrage of lies but, these days we have plenty of examples to show them up as the lies they are.

In the UK smoking is now banned on all public transport, most restaurants, most office buildings and most public buildings. And you should have heard the gasping and hoarse protests of the smokers as they forced the air from their decaying lungs, across their tar-stained vocal cords and past their yellowing teeth to try to tell everyone that it would be the death of public transport, museums and eating out.

But it wasn't. Noboby now even things of lighting up in thse places - and they won't think of lighting up in pubs, either. And they'll be able to taste their beer better, too.