General News

[leicsmac]

1 hour ago, Lionator said:

A bit random but how do people on here view China? A threat? A (economic) partner? A place you’d like to visit? Etc etc 

Pretty much what @Zear0 said above.

 

A threat to the ideal of personal freedom, but at the same time the system they have is here to stay and cooperation with them on a variety of matters is essential.

[Tommy G]

Looks like there is going to be a smoking and vaping ban in pub gardens and other outdoor areas

[urban.spaceman]

On 28/08/2024 at 10:47, RoboFox said:

Liz Truss' biographer claims after tanking the economy, she wanted to scrap all NHS cancer treatment in order to desperately repair the damage she had caused.

 

How she managed to become PM becomes more and more staggering with every revelation. 

 

I've actually lost 3 people I've known since birth to cancer in the last 20 months or so. Each of them were diagnosed with it around the summer of 2022.

 

The idea that a British Prime Minister actually considered removing millions of people's access to cancer healthcare in order to cover for their own mistake of crashing the economy should be a national scandal. Truly disgusting behaviour that she should be raked over the ****ing coals for. Evil ****.

[Lionator]

51 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

Looks like there is going to be a smoking and vaping ban in pub gardens and other outdoor areas

a) good luck enforcing that

b) they really have to sell why this would be of benefit, especially the vaping ban. It will only fuel the growing calls of illiberal liberalism. 

[Sampson]

9 minutes ago, Lionator said:

a) good luck enforcing that

b) they really have to sell why this would be of benefit, especially the vaping ban. It will only fuel the growing calls of illiberal liberalism. 

The law anlready exists in a few other European countries, its only a good thing in my eyes. Don’t think it’s that hard to sell, very few under 40s smoke nowadays anyway. 

 

It’s not difficult to enforce, same reason as smoking in pubs isn’t, as you just make it the pubs” responsibility and say you can revoke their alcohol licence if they don’t enforce it. 
 

The illiberal arguments are the same ones people made about the original smoking ban in the 00s. After about 6 months most people just got on with their lives and nowadays few would go back 

Edited 29 August 2024 by Sampson

[Daggers]

[Zear0]

10 minutes ago, Daggers said:

Need a licence for my goldfish next. 

 

Glad tbh, such a trampy habit. People need to get absolutely arseholed on gin and prescription medications like the rest of us. 

[Tommy G]

15 minutes ago, Sampson said:

The law anlready exists in a few other European countries, its only a good thing in my eyes. Don’t think it’s that hard to sell, very few under 40s smoke nowadays anyway. 

 

It’s not difficult to enforce, same reason as smoking in pubs isn’t, as you just make it the pubs” responsibility and say you can revoke their alcohol licence if they don’t enforce it. 
 

The illiberal arguments are the same ones people made about the original smoking ban in the 00s. After about 6 months most people just got on with their lives and nowadays few would go back 

I'm not a smoker but I suspect the hospitality sector that is already on it's arse, will be on it's arse properly if this happens. Think there is a stark contrast between smoking indoors and outdoors, indoor the smoke is trapped and your clothes completely stink, and you are subject to 2nd hand smoke. In the case of outdoors neither happens. 

[Sampson]

14 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

I'm not a smoker but I suspect the hospitality sector that is already on its arse, will be on its arse properly if this happens. Think there is a stark contrast between smoking indoors and outdoors, indoor the smoke is trapped and your clothes completely stink, and you are subject to 2nd hand smoke. In the case of outdoors neither happens. 

But it’s not banning smoking outdoors. All it means in Sweden where these laws exist is people go out the front of the pub to smoke and so those sitting in pub gardens don’t have to smell the smoke and yes you absolutely can come home with clothes stinking of smoke as a non-smoker in a pub garden, most are tight high-walled areas with plastic awning over, hardly open space. It doesn’t really change smokers habits, it just means they go out the front and those enjoying the pub garden don’t have to have someone smoking on the table next to them.

 

I hardly think walking in a different direction to smoke outside is going to decimate the hospitality industry.

Edited 29 August 2024 by Sampson

[Tommy G]

23 minutes ago, Sampson said:

But it’s not banning smoking outdoors. All it means in Sweden where these laws exist is people go out the front of the pub to smoke and so those sitting in pub gardens don’t have to smell the smoke and yes you absolutely can come home with clothes stinking of smoke as a non-smoker in a pub garden, most are tight high-walled areas with plastic awning over, hardly open space. It doesn’t really change smokers habits, it just means they go out the front and those enjoying the pub garden don’t have to have someone smoking on the table next to them.

 

I hardly think walking in a different direction to smoke outside is going to decimate the hospitality industry.

Smokers being smokers will want to sit and have a pint smoking their cigarette/cigar rather than going and standing out the front every 30 mins. It will have an impact for sure, but how much of an impact we don't know yet. I'm neutral about it. 

[Daggers]

19 minutes ago, Sampson said:

But it’s not banning smoking outdoors. All it means in Sweden where these laws exist is people go out the front of the pub to smoke and so those sitting in pub gardens don’t have to smell the smoke and yes you absolutely can come home with clothes stinking of smoke as a non-smoker in a pub garden, most are tight high-walled areas with plastic awning over, hardly open space. It doesn’t really change smokers habits, it just means they go out the front and those enjoying the pub garden don’t have to have someone smoking on the table next to them.

 

I hardly think walking in a different direction to smoke outside is going to decimate the hospitality industry.

The measures include banning smoking (and possibly vaping) from pavements in front of nightclubs, restaurants, pubs, universities, hospitals and sports venues...so they won't be able to walk out front.

 

Policy should be evidenced-based. There is no secondhand smoking risk outside. This is puritanical bullshit because stroppy tossers who objected to smoking in pubs and clubs now want to own outdoor spaces too.

 

If we're banning stuff from beer gardens then I want kids kicked out. They're annoying as fvck and their shit parents increase my blood pressure. Also, anyone with BO attending an indoor venue. Also, anyone who spouts shite at a football match...

 

This dates from Linda McAvan MEP leading the votes against smoking and vaping during the development of the EU's Tobacco Products Directive. Evidence was ignored, lies were told by the barrowload, all because they want to punish the tobacco industry more than they want to help smokers. Labour's actions back then were shameful, it was only the Lib Dem MEPsm who spoke up for research.

 

The BMA and the government are being fed a pack of lies from Bloomberg funded organisations, parroting the WHO lies (also fed by Bloomberg funded organisations).

[urban.spaceman]

 

 

[David Hankey]

Will this Government be bold enough to ban smoking altogether and the sale of all smoking products?

 

If they do who will the Treasury clobber as a result reduction in revenue?

 

Remember, the sale of smoking products is legal.

[Zear0]

12 minutes ago, David Hankey said:

Will this Government be bold enough to ban smoking altogether and the sale of all smoking products?

 

If they do who will the Treasury clobber as a result reduction in revenue?

 

Remember, the sale of smoking products is legal.

They were quite clear that they were going to continue with the Tory policy of phasing it out by raising the age at which you can buy the stuff each year.  Test of their marbles to see if the lobbyists have managed to quash that one.

[Trav Le Bleu]

4 hours ago, Zear0 said:

Need a licence for my goldfish next. 

 

Glad tbh, such a trampy habit. People need to get absolutely arseholed on gin and prescription medications like the rest of us. 

My pet halibut, Eric, has got a licence.

[Trav Le Bleu]

1 hour ago, David Hankey said:

Will this Government be bold enough to ban smoking altogether and the sale of all smoking products?

 

If they do who will the Treasury clobber as a result reduction in revenue?

 

Remember, the sale of smoking products is legal.

It's always argued that the cost to the NHS of smoking related illnesses is far more than revenue raised by taxation on tobacco.

[Robo61]

1 hour ago, David Hankey said:

Will this Government be bold enough to ban smoking altogether and the sale of all smoking products?

 

If they do who will the Treasury clobber as a result reduction in revenue?

 

Remember, the sale of smoking products is legal.

That is exactly what both the last Government was proposing to do and this Government are continuing to back that plan.

[Parafox]

3 hours ago, urban.spaceman said:

 

 

 

Edit: Removed my comment re Mr Hankey/picture/his wall

Edited 29 August 2024 by Parafox

[Parafox]

29 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

My pet halibut, Eric, has got a licence.

Am I the only one who got that?

[Daggers]

[Daggers]

15 minutes ago, Daggers said:

 

[Daggers]

[kenny]

3 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

It's always argued that the cost to the NHS of smoking related illnesses is far more than revenue raised by taxation on tobacco.

It's the opposite.

 

£10b in taxation Vs £2.6b in cost to the NHS.

[Brizzle Fox]

Wow the ex Minister for "Common Sense" is very special indeed....

 

This is of course not offensive at all.

 

Stick to doing Cilla Black impressions you extremely unserious woman.

 

[Daggers]

25 minutes ago, kenny said:

It's the opposite.

 

£10b in taxation Vs £2.6b in cost to the NHS.

Smoking costs society £17bn – £5bn more than previously estimated

 

https://ash.org.uk/media-centre/news/press-releases/smoking-costs-society-17bn-5bn-more-than-previously-estimated