Sky Sports News Poll

[Matt]

Yes...

[TrickyTrev]

No, everyone has an irrational fear of dying and I can't believe how exaggerated the threat of passive smoking is.

My advice on tobacco is try it, it IS nice, then stop it makes your teeth go yellow and costs too much.

[davieG]

No, everyone has an irrational fear of dying and I can't believe how exaggerated the threat of passive smoking is.

My advice on tobacco is try it, it IS nice, then stop it makes your teeth go yellow and costs too much.

60200[/snapback]

Facts Please!

[Guest Daniel]

Yes...

[Teeno]

NO

I don't smoke and it doesn't bother me if people around me do. If they don't like they should move.

[Matt]

NO

I don't smoke and it doesn't bother me if people around me do. If they don't like they should move.

60214[/snapback]

To be fair it doesn't bother me to much either, having said that if I had the choice, i'd say yes...and that what i've voted!

[Ash]

Yes, for Health & Safety reasons

[TrickyTrev]

You would have to live with a chain smoker for a number of years to have any chance of dying from passive smoking.

You are not going to suddenly drop dead with lung cancer because the bloke 3 rows up in L1 likes to aprk up vaguely near you every Saturday!

The real problem with passive smoking effecting other people is bar workers who have to work long shifts in smokey rooms. That is where it affects bystanders.

EVIDENCE

Here is an anecdotal example of the propotyional risks of passive smoking, you are about as likely to die from it as you are drinking water is the general drift...

Are the risks from ETS significant?

To answer that question, OSHA took a lifetime risk perspective, and it is useful to apply that approach to the Supreme Court’s view that a one in a billion risk from chlorinated water would not be significant. The amount of water people drink per day from different sources ranges from 2.1 to 2.9 quarts. To be conservative, I will assume that people drink nine glasses of chlorinated water per day (that may come, for example, from sodas or other products). The individual who drinks nine glasses per day each year for 70 years will drink 229,950 glasses during his lifetime. If the risk per glass is one in a billion, as hypothesized by the Court, the lifetime risk is two in ten thousand.

Now let us consider ETS. OSHA estimates that between 144 and 722 people will die from lung cancer each year because of ETS. If the 74 million nonsmoking American workers exposed to ETS are exposed over their entire 40-year employment expectancy, their lifetime risk ranges from one in ten thousand to four in ten thousand. Thus, the risk of drinking chlorinated water falls between the two bounds of the risk range estimated by OSHA for ETS. When translated into lifetime risks as opposed to risks from a particular exposure, so that both the ETS risks and the chlorinated water risks being discussed by the Court are in the same time dimension, we find that the risks are quite comparable and are of the same general magnitude.

That is taken from here. The site has NOTHINg to do with the tobacco industry.

If you google exaggerated threat Passive smokign into google you will get 46,000 hits, if you wish to do some wider research for yourself.

[TrickyTrev]

For the record I don't smoke, finances would never allow it and I like the colour of my teeth.

[Rugby Fox]

No! Same reasons as Teeno!

[Guest Daniel]

I shouldn't have to wash my clothes after going out for an hour and a half because i come home smelling like an ash tray.

[davieG]

NO

I don't smoke and it doesn't bother me if people around me do. If they don't like they should move.

60214[/snapback]

I guarantee that you will change your view on that sooner than you think:

Maybe when you go out with someone who doesn’t smoke and thinks you stink

Maybe you’ll have children that you’ll want to protect.

Maybe when you realise that you’re not immortal and the substances that enter your body will affect your health

Maybe you’ll come to your senses and realise that it’s must be one of the most unnatural things in the world to do to your body.

[Cobbo]

Lisa is going to love this

[davieG]

You would have to live with a chain smoker for a number of years to have any chance of dying from passive smoking.

Who said anything about dying, what about lung infections, asthma, the smell, getting in your eyes, the taste it gets everywhere. It's a filthy rotton selfish habit one step up from taking drugs.

[stez]

i vote no but only because evening kick off has a special cingar-style smell

[MADLEVEIN]

Yes, for Health & Safety reasons

60223[/snapback]

what a discarded cigrette butt is going to burn the walkers down then?

if you dont smoke you will say ban it

if you do smoke your probably dont even bother getting involved in all this no smoking in public crap.

i smoke .....kin loads at footy, well used too especially in the last ten mins

[Guest Daniel]

Yes, for Health & Safety reasons

60223[/snapback]

what a discarded cigrette butt is going to burn the walkers down then?

if you dont smoke you will say ban it

if you do smoke your probably dont even bother getting involved in all this no smoking in public crap.

i smoke .....kin loads at footy, well used too especially in the last ten mins

60266[/snapback]

So you think it's fair that i go out for about 2 hours to watch my football team and when i get home i have to wash all my clothes because i stink like an ash tray?

[Wellman]

I think it should be

[emmalcfc]

I think it should be banned. If I'm near a few people smoking, I start having a coughing fit, and my eyes start streaming (Yes I expect it at places like football matches) and what Dan says, you stink of it!!

[Guest]

Lung cancer is only one disease smoking contributes towards.

Ban it in all places where other people go.

[davieG]

The evidence against smoking and passive smoking - sorry it's so long, it's a bit American but written by an British Doctor.

Hopefully now we have the Freedom of Information we might get the 'British Facts'

Smoking and its Poisons

Dr Allan Britton MBA LLB (Hons)

36 The Mead ,Darlington, United Kingdom, DL1 1EX

Member International Commission on Occupational Health

Member National Association Environmental Health

Member American Society Safety Engineers

Member British Occupational Hygiene Society

[email protected]

Health risks related to exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) are well established. The revised WHO Air quality guidelines for Europe conclude: “ETS has been found to be carcinogenic in humans and to produce a substantial amount of morbidity and mortality from other serious health effects.... Acute and chronic respiratory health effects on children have been demonstrated in homes with smokers ... and even in homes with occasional smoking … there is no evidence for a safe exposure level.” The WHO International Consultation on Environmental Tobacco Smoke and Child Health (Geneva, 11–14 January 1999) called for “swift action to highlight the need for strong public policies to protect children from exposure to tobacco smoke”.

Tobacco what is it, where does it come from, how does it grow, and who grows it, at what cost

The species Nicotiana tabacum is widely cultivated in warm, dry climates for use in both cigars and cigarettes. The leaves are dried, and matured in storage for two to three years before use. Introduced to Europe as a medicine in the 16th century, tobacco has been recognised from the early 1950s as one of the world’s major health hazards. The leaves also yield nicotine, colourless oil, which has been shown to be one of the most powerful poisons known, and addictive in humans, and is used in insecticides.

Plantations are found away from cities, which are usually large plots of fertile land staffed by qualified farmers, who are responsible for producing superior tobacco destined to become the world’s finest premium cigars.

Once planted it takes tobacco 45-60 days to reach maturity. From 30-40 days onward, leaves are systematically removed from the plants. The plants are not allowed to flower, this extends the useful growing period to 4-5 months, and harvesting takes place from January through to the end of March. During the harvesting period leaves are picked two at a time, from here the leaves go on to be processed and made into cigars or cigarettes.

What are the Facts? The 1992 Surgeon General's Report estimates that the total lifetime excess medical care costs for smokers exceed those for non-smokers by $501 billion (£400 billion)

Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemical compounds including 43 different carcinogenic substances.

Each year about 3,000 non-smoking adults die of lung cancer as a result of breathing the smoke of other's cigarettes. A non-smoker married to a smoker has a 30% greater risk of developing lung cancer than the spouse of a non-smoker.

The total smoking-attributable costs for Texans age 35 or older is $4,135,322,468.

Eighty-five percent of adolescent smokers who buy their own cigarettes usually buy Marlboro, Newport or Camel cigarettes, the most heavily marketed brands.

Maternal smoking is responsible for 35% of all SIDS deaths in the U. S. Smoking during pregnancy triple the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).

Fires from cigarettes cause 25,000 deaths each year in the U. S. and in the UK

In 1999, 65% of all secondary students reported having used some type of tobacco product during their lifetime.

Nicotine taken in by cigarette smoking takes only seconds to reach the brain but has a direct effect on the body for up to 30 minutes.

Smoking causes Eighty percent of lung cancer.

One in 5 deaths in the U.S results from the use of tobacco.

Each year, smoking claims 400,000 lives in the U.S.

Forty-eight million (24.7%) of adult’s aged 18 and older currently smokes in the U.S. (27.6% of men and 22.1% of women).

There was a 16% increase in smoking among high school seniors between 1996 and 1999.

Other information on tobacco can be found at FAQ's About Tobacco from the Texas Commission on Alcohol & Drug Abuse.

Sources: "Annual Cost of Cigarette Smoking in Texas," Texas Department of Health and M. D. Anderson Cancer Centre, 1993; "Cancer Facts and Figures," American Cancer Society, 1994; "Trends in Tobacco Use Among Youths," "Effect of Maternal Cigarette Smoking on Pregnancy: Complications and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome," DeFranza and Lew, Journal of Family Practice, 1995; "Tobacco if You Use . . . You Lose," Texas Department of Health, 1989; "NIDA Capsules: Cigarette Smoking," National Institute on Drug Abuse, 1993; "Health Problems Attributed to Use of Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs," National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, 1993; Do It Now Foundation, 1996; American Cancer Society, 2/99; NIDA, 1999 Monitoring the Future Study, Secondary School Students; DoItNow Foundation.

Smoking is proving to be one of the world’s biggest killers and the most costly for health services. The costs are mounting up day by day and it is getting to the point where the costs are so high countries are close to bankruptcy. In the USA for instance smoking is responsible for something in the region of 40 to 50 per cent of all SSA (Social Security) disability cases, which adds up to a cost of approximately $2.5 billion per year. It is also estimated that private medical care insurance pays out in the region of $90 billion per year. So it can be seen that not only does smoking have a life threatening effect on the population it also poses a threat to the economic well being of each country.

But given the above what do the public really know about cigarettes for example what they are made of and what they produce. Each cigarette produces over 4000 different chemicals; some of which are known to attack the central nervous systems others are known to be carcinogens.

Each year, smoking around children is responsible for:

1. 15,000 children hospitalised

2. 26,000 new cases of asthma

3. 150,000 - 300,000 lung infections, such as bronchitis and pneumonia, in children less than 18 months old

Over 40% of SIDS is due to mothers smoking during and/or after pregnancy or another person smoking in the house

A few of the dangerous chemicals in tobacco smoke that can affect you and your children

Chemical Description

1. 4-aminobiphenyl.... Promotes liver/bladder cancer

2. Ethyl 2-furoate... A liver poison, considered for use as a chemical warfare agent

3. Hydrogen Cyanide. A poison used in gas chambers, responsible for paralysing and killing the cilia in lung airways

4. Arsenic.................... A poison used to kill rats

5. Formaldehyde.......... Used to preserve dead bodies

6. Carbon Monoxide... Replaces the oxygen in red blood cells can mimic anaemia

7. Ammonia................. An irritant and poison used to help vaporize nicotine so it can be easily inhaled

8. Nickel....................… An organ specific carcinogen

9. Naphythlamine…A bladder carcinogen

10. Toluidine................. A bladder carcinogen

11. Benzo (a) pyrene... A cancer promoter

12. Acetylene................ Used for fuel in welding torches

13. Cadmium................. Used in rechargeable batteries

14. Benzene................... Used as an industrial solvent

Now think about it, if tobacco contains even half of the above poisons, what are smokers doing to themselves let alone their children. Some of the illnesses children can catch are detailed below,

Ear Infections, The toxic chemicals in smoke irritate the lining of the Eustachian tube, which leads from the back of the nose to the ear. The irritated lining creates mucous which collects behind the eardrum. The ear may become infected and cause pain or hearing loss.

Pneumonia, Children have small airways; when an airway is irritated by smoke, mucous is produced. Sometimes one drop of mucous can close a child's airway and cause it to become infected.

Asthma, Irritants in tobacco smoke can cause the lining of the airways to swell making it difficult for a child to breathe. Tobacco smoke or even the stale odour of old smoke in a car can trigger an asthma attack in a child.

Problems after birth, Mothers who smoke during and after pregnancy may have children who are more likely to suffer behavioural problems such as hyperactivity. In one study, children from similar backgrounds who had parents that smoked scored 6% lower on tests than children whose parents did not smoke.

Birth defects, some studies suggest that smoking during pregnancy can cause birth defects such as cleft (split) lip or cleft palate (an opening between the nose and the roof of the mouth). Smoking is also responsible for low birth weight babies, miscarriages, and SIDS. Low birth weight babies.

What is passive smoking? Non-smokers cannot avoid inhaling smoke when sharing the same room as smokers. This is 'passive smoking'.

The smoke is mainly 'side stream' smoke from the burning tip of cigarettes, cigars, or pipe tobacco. Smokers also exhale some 'mainstream' smoke. Both mainstream and side stream smoke contain globules of tar together with nicotine and a wide range of vapours and gases such as carbon monoxide, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, and acrolein. Some of these substances have been shown in laboratory tests to induce cancer in animals.

What are the risks of passive smoking?

It has been shown that smoking is the single most important cause of disease and premature death. Many independent scientific bodies worldwide have also shown that passive smoking can cause lung cancer in non-smokers. In 1988, an advisory body to the UK Government, the Independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and Health, reviewed all the available scientific evidence and concluded that it was consistent with passive smoking causing a small increase in the risk of lung cancer. The Committee estimated that passive smoking might be causing several hundred-lung cancer deaths a year in the United Kingdom.

What is the legal situation? Under section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers have to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all their employees. This means that if a risk to health can be demonstrated, for example if a worker with a respiratory condition is forced to work in a smoky atmosphere which may make that condition worse, the employer must take action to deal with this risk. Health and safety inspectors can take enforcement action if necessary in these circumstances, but ultimately it would be for the courts to decide, whether a risk to health was significant.

Employers also have a common law responsibility to provide a safe place and system of work. They need to resolve complaints from employees in order to ensure that their health is not at risk from a smoky environment.

Good ventilation will reduce the effects of tobacco smoke, but will not completely prevent exposure. In buildings with mechanical ventilation, employers should consider discharging air from smoking areas separately rather than allowing it to enter the recirculating system. If this is not reasonably practicable, the recirculated air should be brought up to an appropriate standard by suitable decontamination systems. Tobacco smoke building up in the workplace is a sure sign that the ventilation system is inadequate.

The main question people, that is non smokers should be asking which has been mentioned already in many quarters and has raised the temperature of the debate, is why should these people continue to be paid benefits from taxes when the disability is self inflicted. Smokers will argue that it is addictive and they cannot give up, it may be, however some people and I know of one in particular, have given up when a smoking related disease has been diagnosed and I’m sure there are many more but for the ones who don’t even try why then should we as tax payers continue to pay for their medical expenses and other benefits.

Money saved on not paying out benefits to people with smoking related diseases who do not following treatment, could then be redirected into the social security budgets for payment to the unemployed and the genuine disabled. And I’m sure that most politicians would agree that these are the people who need financial help. Or as Mr Milburn has stated cancer treatment is going to the top of the list for treatment, why when most people chose to smoke. Why do the rest of us have to pay

According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 419,000 people die in the United States from tobacco use every year. Teenagers make up the largest percentage of new cigarette smokers and studies show that tobacco is one of the most common "gateway drugs" there is. Obviously, the problem of tobacco use among today’s youth must be addressed.

For many years the debate over whether or not cigarettes cause cancer has angered many people, and been unresolved. Meanwhile, smokers continue to drop like flies, and increasingly it's becoming clear that children are also being made ill and placed at risk for cancer and neurological disease. The point is that both the cigarette industry and the scientific community have known for at least three generations that these chemical contaminants are in cigarettes and that they are carcinogenic and potential killers. Both the UK and U.S. governments have placed a warning on all cigarette packages. The various national health organizations have concluded that cigarette smoking is indeed dangerous and have expended many millions in research into the mechanisms behind cancer, heart disease, neurological damage, etc. Millions of people have stopped smoking cigarettes, and millions more have switched to "Low Tar & Nicotine" brands in the mistaken notion that these were less dangerous. Despite these warnings people still persist in killing themselves and others by smoking.

Dr Allan Britton

36 The Mead

Darlington

United Kingdom

DL1 1EX

Tel: 44 1325 257187 Mob: 44 7855 742 151

[Guest]

Asthma, Irritants in tobacco smoke can cause the lining of the airways to swell making it difficult for a child to breathe. Tobacco smoke or even the stale odour of old smoke in a car can trigger an asthma attack in a child.

60359[/snapback]

And adults!

I've also noticed that I have hayfever symptoms whilst sitting in the pub.

[filbertway]

I voted no. I can put up with two hours of it. Its always been there and most likely will always be.

[TrickyTrev]

It's a filthy rotton selfish habit one step up from taking drugs.

Taking substances that the government deams illegal because it can't tax, then society really would be doomed. <_<

It is a flithy habit and like all human actions it is selfish, but a personal choice that people have. You could easily say exactly the same things about alcohol, it smells it effects peoples behaviour and you don't really wanto your little kids subjected to it.

[Cobbo]

It's a filthy rotton selfish habit one step up from taking drugs.

Taking substances that the government deams illegal because it can't tax, then society really would be doomed. <_<

It is a flithy habit and like all human actions it is selfish, but a personal choice that people have. You could easily say exactly the same things about alcohol, it smells it effects peoples behaviour and you don't really wanto your little kids subjected to it.

60440[/snapback]

It is hardly affecting non drinkers livers though is it?

And pubs are there for drinking, that is well known. Don't go there if you don't like it. Football grounds are there to watch football in, not to smoke. So saying someone should move if they don't like it is out of order, the smokers should respect non smokers feelings and health. Don't smoke around non smokers or do not attend.