Caroline Flint discusses the countdown to the UK smoking ban

[WORLD8NSH5KNIGHT1]

I credit Caroline Flint for the smoking ban. Rather than 'violating the human rights of smokers' it protects those who do not want to breathe in smokers fumes. What about THEIR freedom? No one is saying smokers can't smoke at all- its a logical approach to tackling one of the biggest health problems in this country- furthermore many smokers support the ban.

110,000 people die from smoking-related diseases annually (more than the population of Colchester) It costs the NHS a fortune

[greenisland75]

Smoking is disgusting. What needs to happen is that smoking should be banned in public. I am fed up of waiting for buses or walking down a street and having to breath in cigarette fumes. It is an evasion of my air space.

[Franck975ll]

Although i dont like her the Smoking Ban is Right, and its not a claim at personal Freedom when it affects the Health of People around you over time.

[RoxxieT]

I'm fed up with the patronising attitude found in the Labour government!

[opossimply]

Really?

[opossimply]

Sorry.

[kaferere]

I gave up 3 years ago but this smoking ban is ludicrous. Everyone should be allowed their personal freedom. This has got nothing to do with health but everything to do with outright fascism. This woman's arrogance says it all.

[bloodrageX5]

You don't HAVE to smoke. If you don't like the ban, quit smoking.

[plutoflip]

There's no scientific evidence second hand smoke kills. And will government next be intending to support or encourage people to give up drinking, junk food or dangerous sports? If people choose to smoke it's no business of any government.

[bloodrageX5]

Yes there is. A women near where I lived worked as a waitress for 30 years. She never smoked a day in her life and she was diagnosed with lung cancer and died within a year.

[Squealer01]

So that PROVES it was second hand smoke that killed her does it?

My uncle never touched a drop of alcohol in his life and died of liver disease... did passive drinking cause that too?

[plutoflip]

There's no scientific evidence secondhand smoke kills, it's manufactured. Govt. has no right to impose a blanket ban, this is a bad, bad law based on disgraceful propaganda.

[1bigbilly]

A simple question. Where is the conclusive provable evidence that second hand smoke causes disease or illness that will stand up in a court of law in the UK?

[cimacio]

Is smoking bad for you? Yeah - everybody knows that.

But is it the business of fool-politicians to run our personal lives for us? No!! (Not unless you are unlucky enough to live in a modern Nazi-state..)

[music2003]

still smoking. we ALL are at work...no one is enforcing it in Bournemouth, not police nor council! Keep smoking folks, this is all rubbish full of silly threats!

[dmx152]

is that for real? I wish this was happening in my town - we have all turned into sheep.... baaaaa..best stand outside....I think i'll move to your town

[dannyfrench]

Im looking forward to the government banning stress and overworking considering that kills FAR more people than smoking. OR heres something radical...why not increase the minimum wage so that employers would be forced to pay people a wage they can actually live on, or if they are really lucky, buy a place to live. If we english had any sense we would rise up against this nonsense and revolt against the ban.

[davehayes2204]

agreed!! or lets all us smokers pack in right now and when the government loses the revenue from taxes on tobacco, lets see who wants us to start smoking again!! they'll be advertising it on the telly!!!

[sreymind]

Caroline. And people who don't want to give up? It's perfectly possible to support people who want to give up without infringing on the civil liberties of millions of people. There is no reliable evidence of passive smoking having an effect on anyone's health and you know it.

From a government paper:

"In essence, HSE cannot produce epidemiological evidence to link levels of exposure to SHS to the raised risk of contracting specific diseases"

[sreymind]

Caroline, why the half measures? As you say, it's so important. Why don't we just round all the smokers up and pack them into work camps? Perhaps gas them if they aren't pulling their weight.

[vowsession]

by the way you dont work on a sunday?

i wonder how much money get for this ?

i think you can by a house in 2 jears

and you never have to worry about the next budget

or intresst rates or inflation.

there is one thing that does worry me if you

ever find a man and you have children

your are not gona send them to a public school

no because you aare to posh by then

you do any charity work?

[vowsession]

could you just be honest and tell me where all the

lost revenue (money) and job losses come from please?

[vowsession]

you know how much revenue you loose

youknow how many jobs you put (on " YOUR LINE")

you dont loose your job because you get paid

for infringing our basic wrights as human beeings

you might not know this but alcohol creates 100 times

more problems in our society.

where is all the lost revenue come from?

ps:you are quiet young i advice you to look at some footage from arcives what happend in america ,in the 1920s when the prohibiton laws came to affect!?

[domkill]

I am looking forward to a smoke free England. It looks funny now when you see old movies with people smoking on airplanes and buses. Any new thing takes a while for people to get used too but it will benefit the smoker too, putting more money in his or her pocket, restricting them to smoke less on impulse. I am sure it will help people to give up the addiction with the social changing attitude. Who wants to be a slave to nicotine. It is way overpriced and way overated.

[davehayes2204]

stopping smoking will put money in my pocket? it will be taken away in another way when the government loses taxes from tobacco.

FACT: this countrys infrastructure would fall apart without the revenue from tax on tobacco and fuel!

if we all stop then you WILL pay for it!

[bocher222]

why no t freedom of choice,, whTS THE BIG DEAL, ST ILLL SM OKIN

[tyronix]

i would of gave up yesterday and so would many other smokers if passive smoking is real as we would be murderers could possibly be done for second degree murder wouldnt walking about outside with a little stick giving off smoke knowing it kills others be a terrorist act! so if thats the case ill give up after someone gives me some real detailed proof. thanks

[trailkeeper]

I don't smoke but have suffered from second-hand smoke. It gets im my blood, i never get used to it, my nerves get shattered and brain gets twisted and depressed which is somewhat odd since this is the opposite of why people often smoke. I wont go near a smoker, so please dont come near me, respect my space too.

[Scumdrops]

She says she is providing people with an opportunity. These people already have the freedom to open no smoking pubs. Instead another liberty is swept away and the the prison walls around our streets grow higher. The cameras watch over us as sentries in a concentration camp where we are ushered back and forth and removed for making choices. We are never free from their ominous glare.

[Patbuchanan]

What shall we ban next, any ideas?

[Haz86]

The "nicotine demon" doesn't speak through me, I just want the choice to make my own decisions and be responsible for my own health. It is MY health, after all. At the moment I want to smoke because I enjoy it, but when I decide to quit I don't want to be around smoke either. That's why I believe in a simple compromise that would be better for everyone.

[robby2k]

As a smoker, I am secretly relieved when I cannot smoke e.g. on the tube, bus, cinema etc. Whenever I "give up" I always succumb in the pub after a pint or two, when the smell of ciggys becomes more intoxicating than the thought of a nude Faria Alam. Well done Caroline, us smokers support you really, although or nicotine demon speaks through us and says otherwise

[sreymind]

So you support the smoking ban on the grounds that it will help you to kick the habit? You're happy to support a law that will curtail the freedom of millions of people simply because you personally haven't got much in the way of will power. Nothing wrong with your personal view on the matter, but I think you should have kept it to yourself. It's really lame as regards an argument in favour of the ban.

[Haz86]

Why not make everyone happy with an easy compromise, e.g. separate, licensed smoking rooms for pubs with the right facilities? Hey presto: the smokers can smoke, non-smokers don't have to go anywhere near smoke. Everyone's happy. Oh wait, I forgot, that would be using far too much COMMON SENSE!

[truthsabre7]

England is fast becoming a third rate country....with the US not far behind.

[lordrosemount]

"whatever happened to letting adults make decisions for themselves?" Step forward, the Labour Party!

[fingleur]

You can make decisions for yourself. Thank goodness for the Labour Party stopping people making decisions for me. Bring on the ban on smoking in ANY public place. Well done Labour and thanks for the vid Caroline.

[marlenepeter]

Ban Fascist dictatorship propaganda from YouTube! NO provison for choice to be exercised by informed, aware adults? School rules for 'free' democratic Britain = smoking behind the bike sheds! Legislate to segregate IS fascism. Turf these intolerant nannying turds out of office, they've turned choice into a punishable offence for God's sake!

[turnipofficer]

Oh so you're fine if someone comes up and starts painting pictures on your face? like or lump it, smoking around others is intrusive. It makes you smell, it's bad for your health, it's also plain annoying and you cannot avoid passive smoking short of leaving whatever area you are in.  We've been forced as non-smokers to lump being in smoky areas or leave the area ourselves for our own sanity, it's about time smokers are forced to move out rather than us.

[BiloMyRetardBrother]

Most sensible post I've read.

[holg295]

We've had the smoking ban for 2 weeks in Wales now. It's great going out to pubs and clubs and not reeking of smoke when you come back. We stopped in a pub in Bristol last week and thought how weird it was that they still allow it in England.

Well done, Labour!

[brianbarder]

What on earth do ministers and MPs at Westminster think they are doing laying down who may and may not smoke in clubs and pubs in St Austell, Newport or Accrington? These should manifestly be matters for purely local decision. No wonder millions of us, including life-long Labour supporters like me, are totally disillusioned with Westminster micro-management politics generally and New Labour in particular. It isn't just the criminal blunder of Iraq.

[paulmn]

Well said, Caroline. Roll on the ban! I work in an industry where I've had to lump people's drug habit. I don't care what you do to yourself, just don't expose me to it as well.

[alisonkf]

I see that most respondents are probably smokers and as usual look for excuses to continue with their addiction. They can, of course, but not on public places,.There are three non smokers to every smoker , so there.

[TheGGuv]

you are right..!! but your forgeting one major thing, my pub is private property, owned by me, it never has been and never will be a public place, so, why are we not excempt from the ban.?

[Cainsson]

Once this ban comes into place the House of Parliament is going to be one of the few places in the country where you can enjoy a pint of beer and a cigarette at the same time. Why?: Because 'Palaces' (Which the House of Parliament is designated as) have been exempted from this legislation. Want to drink and smoke in comfort? - Become an MP...

[ianmck76]

If I want to engage in risky behaviour, that's my own business.

If a pub landlord or restaurant owner wants to run either a smoke-free place or a smoky place, that should be their decision.

whatever happened to letting adults make decisions for themselves?

[bocher222]

It will be the same as scotland all the bars and bingo halls , bowling alleys etc will close. fact if non smoking pubs were popular why do we need a ban? fact when village pubs are empty the anti smoking brigade don't fill them.fact the labour party will be wiped out in scotland , the newspapers blame iraq but the truth is the smoking ban, why cant an oap who has fought in 2 world wars have a fag and a pint at his local>?

[sausagesuk]

For those that say smoking shouldnt be banned, imagine your relation or best friend choking on cancer that she or he has (even when they don't smoke) and say that its ok. IMHO this is the best thing that the government have done for a while. And i for one look forward to the day that smoking in a public (enclosed) place becomes illegal. Well done to the public health minister

[tyronix]

you havnt the right to say that unless you can back it up with facts ,there are real causes of lung cancer you know which i suggest you go and look up before you fall victim and there are toxins with small levels that could contribute to activating cancer early these are found in tea , coffee veg in the air cars work etc but we cant ban all these things though what they should be doing is recommending everyone to exercise more and to keep there vitamin D levels up as its known to reduce risks

[idr22]

Well lets all stop smoking then. I'll greatly enjoy watching the squirming of which ever minister gets landed with explaining just why we need to put 3p on the basic rate of income tax. And why the pensions problem just got worse...

[gordybrownnumber1]

Hi all its Gordy here,

When i become prime minister this summer i will put 50 cigs in my mouth at once and smoke them. I will then post the vid on youtube for your pleasure. Oh and just a quick warning tax on cigs is going up next month.

[spish123456789]

This is what the Health & Safety Executive (the ones who should really be making a decision about this issue) have to say about secondhand smoke:

HSE OC 255/1, page 3:

"HSE cannot produce epidemiological evidence to link levels of exposure to second hand smoke to the raised risk of contracting specific diseases"

We are all being lied to.

[acidglow]

We've had that in Canada for quite some time. hmm

[gogzter77]

I will never vote Labour but wow she is pretty cool!

[welshstoner]

Time to catch up with the pot smokers. I've had to smoke outside for over 20 years because what I smoke is less harmfull than nicoteen. Work that one out.

[swimswimswim222]

Caroline Flint is a letdown as she supports Patricia Hewitt's policies which threaten the NHS in major ways. However on smoking she is spot on. Smokers are really inconsiderate and selfish. I eagerly await the day when I can have a meal or a drink without being contaminated by the smoke from their disgusting habit. We have politely tolerated, and suffered this habit long enough.

[TheGGuv]

make the most of it, because if this ban goes ahead i will ban all non smokers from my pub, you can sit outside, see how you like it.!

[t33s33]

Regardless of weather you smoke or not this ban is just plain bad news for all. The legislation reads like it was slapped together by middle management with a grudge against smokers and little thought for the consequences.

It's now not too outlandish to expect the ban will be expanded to private spaces in the future and that the army of 'enforcement officers' will be tasked with other duties to keep the peasents in order.

[xyzto1]

Why have we so many pensioners living longer.The human race would have died out with the ETS kills farce.Ventilation should have been the way forward,not creating a hatred towards those who use a legal product.

No more spend money in the UK on holidays.You could not pay me enough to do so.When I see pictures on my Ciggie packs,my organ donation card will get ripped up.Who will want smokers organs.Will our children have to work until they are 85 to keep you all living forever.

[king33richard]

Just one question name me 3 people that have died from SHS and it says so on the death certificate?

[tyronix]

i think they just class anyone who has died of lung cancer and didnt smoke which is 60% or something also anyone who died of heart probs and smoked even if they was over weight. basicly all related deaths are due to cig smoke otherwise we'd live forever :)-

[alfakim]

I'm so glad this ban will come into play. Thank you!

[snowboard987]

No true smoker ever gave up smoking just because no-smoking legislation was passed on the hospitality sector.Doesn't the owners have a say in the matter whether they can use or permit a legal product on 'private' property? Ventilation is the only common sense answer to satisfy the smokers and the compatible non-smokers in the industry.

[whu58]

This is women is typical of this governments big brother do gooding attitude towards its people, if passive smoking kills then provide the scientific evidence to support your case! or at least adopt a smoking zone in public buildings where smokers can puff away without disturbing others! or ban the sale of tobacco altogether!

What hypocrits these MPs are, when they know they can still rake in tobacco tax that essentially funds the NHS!

[s3bbl3sdavi3s]

I wish you didnt do this, but ill still vote for you!

[TheBandWasShawodywod]

Aww what a lovely woman...

[lollygm]

TheGGuv - You are so very right. Caroline Flint, along with her buddies at ASH have succeeded in demonizing millions of ordinary people in this country. As if we do not have enough confict to contend with. She will not be happy until we have all be made social outcasts, whilst greedily accepting the taxes smokers generate, which is far in excess of the NHS bill to treat them. The damage caused by SHS has not been proven and the ban is based on deceit and junk science.

[tomelsmith]

I don't care whether passive smoke kills or not. Either way, it's not nice, you come home smelling awful and your eyes sting. I'm looking forward to nice, cleaner air. Also, having spoken to a number of my friends who smoke, they see 1 July as the date for when they give up. Encouraging!

[TheGGuv]

This ban was brought about because you say passive smoke kills. i challenge you now on here to produce evidence that it kills. passive smoking has never, will never kill anyone and well you know it. prove it now.!!

[iamnotmadonna]

Why keep taking taxes from an activity that is so bad for you and can kill you? Why not making smoking totally illegal? A 'ban' is just another word for a scam. We can all die - but you keep making money from taxes. shameful. Either we can smoke - or we can't. Stop ripping us off.

[raedwald99]

ah, so you only post the most anodyne of complimentary comments, huh? No mention of Flint's 'hook' advert campaign being condemned by the ASA? Typical new labour totalitarian censorship.

[DemonDemonic]

I like Caroline Flint I hope she does something more high profile after Blair.

[everglide2]

If you didn't want people to smoke then simply stop the shops from selling the products duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Oh but then where would you get all that nice fat cat cig tax from hmmmmm?