Should smoking be banned in city parks?

[davieG]

Deputy city mayor Councillor Rory Palmer has called for a public debate on whether smoking should be banned in the city’s parks.

He is asking people to get in touch with their views to see if the idea should be taken forward.

It follows a proposal from former health minister Lord Darzi in his report Better Health for London, that smoking should banned in the capital’s parks and spots such as Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square.

It has been reported that London mayor Boris Johnson thought the idea “too bossy.”

 

However the Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Sally Davies, said she welcomed any measure to reduce smoking and example it has on children.

Smoking has already been banned in New York’s Central Park but Coun Palmer said there are no plans to bring an instant ban in the city.

However, he added: “It is an idea which should be explored and widely debated.

“There has to be a balance between individual freedoms and a ban.”

Coun Palmer said he was concerned that smoking still has a glamorous image and it seemed worth having a debate about banning it.

He added: “One of the big challenges is that so many young people see others smoking which can be a bad example.

“I can see the merits and advantages of a ban.

“People have not been able to smoke at events such as football matches or in pubs and restaurants since 2007 and the transformation was amazing.

“Even smokers now say they would not want to go back to how things were.

“There was big support for this ban but a ban on smoking in parks is a step further and needs a much broader debate.

Coun Palmer said that extending a ban to the city’s public parks might go some way to helping some smokers quit.

“If it can help to change their behaviour it is worth thinking about,” he said.

From April next year the city’s stop smoking service will transfer from the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust and

come under the umbrella of Leicester City Council which has responsibility for public health.

Coun Palmer said: “It is a fantastic service and I think this will give us the opportunity to be more flexible in how the service is delivered.

“We will be able to look at the wider public health scene such as smoking and sports and leisure facilities and tobacco packaging.”

Coun Palmer is asking people to write to him with their views on a ban on smoking in the city’s parks at: Deputy Mayor, City Hall, 115 Charles Street, Leicester LE1 1FZ or by e mail to [email protected]

Read more: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/smoking-banned-city-parks/story-23204725-detail/story.html#ixzz3GKmCD6WY 
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Read more at http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/smoking-banned-city-parks/story-23204725-detail/story.html#aMEKWdTOpZSmgbWg.99

[Steve_Guppy_Left_Foot]

Yeah, ban smoking in wide open public places, but don't restrict traffic whatsoever. Them few little plumes of cigarette smoke make all the difference.

[Harry - LCFC]

No. It's outside so smokers are easy to avoid and the stuff will get whisked away instantly so there's no harm being done to others. I agree with Boris, it's too bossy.

[StanSP]

Ban it everywhere unless you're in your own private place or designated smoking area. 

 

Hate when some ignorant sod doesn't know where they're blowing their smoke and it's in my face. 

 

Smoke in your own home, cars whatever, fine. I'd rather avoid the disgusting stuff at any cost and if this is a way to do it then fair play in my eyes.

[Stadt]

glamorous image? 

[Beliall]

No. It's outside so smokers are easy to avoid and the stuff will get whisked away instantly so there's no harm being done to others. I agree with Boris, it's too bossy.

Ban it everywhere unless you're in your own private place or designated smoking area.

Hate when some ignorant sod doesn't know where they're blowing their smoke and it's in my face.

Smoke in your own home, cars whatever, fine. I'd rather avoid the disgusting stuff at any cost and if this is a way to do it then fair play in my eyes.

I agree with both of these points. Maybe some covered smoking areas? They have them at drusillas zoo and I felt like an animal on display as people walked past while I smoked. I didnt smoke much that day because it was uncomfortable.

[Samilktray]

What a ridiculous idea

[Strokes]

Ban it everywhere unless you're in your own private place or designated smoking area.

Hate when some ignorant sod doesn't know where they're blowing their smoke and it's in my face.

Smoke in your own home, cars whatever, fine. I'd rather avoid the disgusting stuff at any cost and if this is a way to do it then fair play in my eyes.

Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it should be banned. Sometimes we should just tolerate, I mean where do you draw the line?

[StanSP]

Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it should be banned. Sometimes we should just tolerate, I mean where do you draw the line?

 

It's not like I'm the only one who doesn't like it though. I'm sure there'll be plenty of backing for this idea. 

 

On the flip side to your point, I don't think we should 'just tolerate'. Especially when you consider how harmful the stuff inside cigarettes is? 

[davieG]

...... and beaches

 

 

Cornish surfing charity wants smoking ban on beaches

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/29643552

 

Most people take their litter home with them after a day on the beach.

But, despite years of campaigning for people to keep Britain tidy, there are more than 41 million pieces of marine litter along Britain's coastline.

Now one Cornwall-based charity, Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), is calling for measures to combat the rubbish, including a ban on smoking on beaches.

Hugo Tagholm from SAS says: "Litter is one of the biggest threats to the health of our marine environment."

He says things like plastic bags, cigarette butts and food wrappers are responsible for the deaths of many animals around Britain's coastline.

As part of a study done in partnership with The Crown Estate and World Animal Protection, Surfers Against Sewage has put forward recommendations to parliament about how to tackle the problem of litter.

The Cornwall-based charity is calling for a 50% reduction in UK beach rubbish by 2020.

To achieve that they also want other measures introduced including increasing community beach clean-ups and removing plastic components from all sanitary products.

Earlier this week a report was released, calling for London to ban smoking in parks and public squares, like New York.

The idea prompted mixed reviews from the Newsbeat audience, with a number of people saying they were against the idea.

So, how does SAS propose to get people to support the plans? And how would they enforce a smoking ban?

"Cigarette butts are one of the top 10 littering items," Hugo tells Newsbeat, in reference to the types of rubbish they find during beach clean-ups.

[Strokes]

It's not like I'm the only one who doesn't like it though. I'm sure there'll be plenty of backing for this idea.

On the flip side to your point, I don't think we should 'just tolerate'. Especially when you consider how harmful the stuff inside cigarettes is?

Its not harmful in that environment, its plain spiteful really.

[StanSP]

Not sure what's spiteful about it. 

 

What's not harmful about it? 

[ADK]

We need to encourage the uptake of "e-cigarettes".

[Strokes]

Not sure what's spiteful about it.

What's not harmful about it?

Its not harmful as you aren't really exposed to it in a harmful way. You aren't trapped and are free to remove yourself from it.

[Webbo]

Its not harmful as you aren't really exposed to it in a harmful way. You aren't trapped and are free to remove yourself from it.

And the thin wisps of smoke expelled will be diluted by millions of litres of fresh air. It's just do gooders trying to impose their prejudices on others.

[StanSP]

Its not harmful as you aren't really exposed to it in a harmful way. You aren't trapped and are free to remove yourself from it.

 

If I want to sit in a park and a smoker comes lights up and his smoke goes near me and around me, why should I have to get up and remove myself? 

[Samilktray]

i didn't even realise people still went on parks enough to care whether somebody half a mile away has sparked up a cigarette.

[Fox92]

There's far better places to remove it than parks, if they want to do this kind of thing. Not that I have a massive problem with it, it's life I guess, but Stan has a good point. Some smokers are ignorant.

[Maybes]

I'm a non smoker and I think this is an utterly ridiculous idea.

[Strokes]

If I want to sit in a park and a smoker comes lights up and his smoke goes near me and around me, why should I have to get up and remove myself?

You don't, you could tolerate it. Or you could ask him to respect your space. No need to be a nazi.

[Strokes]

I'm a non smoker and I think this is an utterly ridiculous idea.

I've not smoked for months, id prefer it if people didn't smoke around me but this isn't right. If you are going to take this step they should just ban it altogether.

[MooseBreath]

Might as well start encouraging people to throw stones at smokers next. Don't know why people in our society are so keen to get up in each others shit all the time. Tolerance as long as your entire lifestyle fits within a very narrow band of what is acceptable, it seems.

[StanSP]

You don't, you could tolerate it. Or you could ask him to respect your space. No need to be a nazi.

it's not being a Nazi if they don't realise that they can smoke elsewhere.

I've never actually understood why people smoke. Considering there's not really much benefit for someone's body or their health I don't get why people do it. Forgive me if that does sound ignorant - it doesn't appeal to me and I know plenty of others with the same mindset. Not sure what does it for people but I guess each to their own.

[Samilktray]

it's not being a Nazi if they don't realise that they can smoke elsewhere.

I've never actually understood why people smoke. Considering there's not really much benefit for someone's body or their health I don't get why people do it. Forgive me if that does sound ignorant - it doesn't appeal to me and I know plenty of others with the same mindset. Not sure what does it for people but I guess each to their own.

You can sit elsewhere the same as they can smoke elsewhere. This is all getting a bit silly of you now isn't it.

[Strokes]

it's not being a Nazi if they don't realise that they can smoke elsewhere.

Not if you ban it they can't.

You might not see the benefits but how is that relevant?