this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2024
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UK Politics

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General Discussion for politics in the UK.
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[–] [email protected] 25 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

All fine and dandy until the neighbours start complaining that the regulars are now smoking outside their houses which happen to be just outside the pub exclusion zone.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 weeks ago

They already do that anyway around me. The beer garden is on the other side of the road from the pub (Which is apparently allowable because it's not an adopted road?).

Anyway sometimes people somehow manage to get lost crossing the 3m road and end up outside people's houses sitting on the walls and stuff. I do mind the drinking but I object to them smoking and then me having to smell it.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 weeks ago

Good - and take vaping with it.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (5 children)

There is the famous Yes, Minister argument about smokers being a net postitive for the NHS given that they are likely to die younger of smoking related diseases instead of requiring expensive care for more complex diseases later in life.

A study in Finland found that each smoker contributed a net positive of 133,000 euros to their health system by dying younger (on average). Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23233699/

I don't think people in the UK care about this though. People seem to be consistently in favour of banning anything that they don't personally partake in. This is despite the fact that smoking rates are at their lowest levels ever and still falling.

Labour are looking for a policy which is cheap for them to implement but has some popular support so they can basically say, "look at us; we're governing!"

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

From the same study you linked:

However, if each lost quality adjusted life year is considered to be worth €22 200, the net effect is reversed to be €70 200 (€71.600 when adjusted with propensity score) per individual in favour of non-smoking.

Then there are the risks to other people from second hand smoke: https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/stopping-smoking/reasons-to-stop/dangers-of-second-hand-smoke/

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Ridiculous everyone should just make do and put up with my addiction,what am I supposed to do smoke at home?!

RIP Pub workers having to put up with the "rebels" doing their upmost to take the piss I worked through the indoor ban went pretty well but there were a couple of those I am so smart I beat the system types.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

The indoor ban where i live was an absolute shitshow. Both smokers and bar owners were the biggest piss babies about it. the owners formed smoking clubs, where you had to be in the club and pay a 10 dollar fee or something, so you are not in a pub, you were in a smoking club that happened to sell drinks. Nice, now i can pay a fee and smell like an ashtray? That's so cool.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago (17 children)

I never realised how much people want to be controlled by the government when I was younger.

This is fucked.

"But the government wants to ban something I don't like! That's good. They should stop others doing things I don't like!"

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 weeks ago (7 children)

That's the purpose of the government.

If most of the people want something to be banned, it should be banned. The government works for the people.

Of course, the definition of "most" varies depending on the issue, it's not always 50% (looking at you, Brexit).

Smokers pollute the air in a huge area around them. For the "benefit" of one person they are annoying up to dozens around them.

Every non-smoker looking to date that I know agrees that they would never date a smoker, that's for a reason, non-smokers cannot tolerate the smoke. It's awful.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

This is completely okay and the people who are calling this bad are coping and should quit stinking up public places with their disgusting shit.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Just as long as they include bloody vapors as well. If you're not using vapes to quit then you don't get to blow raspberry smoke in my face.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

As an expat who’s recently visited back, I’m astounded at how UK smokers behave. Not even on a night out either; the chef on break flicking the finished end into the street puddle, folks lighting up right outside shop entrances, or the general lack of awareness towards smoking around children. Socially learned behavior that never gets the same tutting you might a speeding car or queue jumper.

I took a trip abroad years ago and was bewildered to see a guy light up and then pull out a foil-type pouch too. Not only did the butt go into that pouch for later disposal, but all his ash did too. I’ve heard Japan is much the same way, even Americans are far better culturally about sequestering themselves before smoking.

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