“ive never seen the pub industry so dead in all my life.. not only has the smoking ban ruined atmopsphere and freedom to the individual and to myself after a hard weeks work relaxing with a nice cold fosters and a cigerette is now a no no.. why does every other european country still smoke in there bars, ill tell u why because were to much of a busy body country who let anyone in, are indulged in ourselves and money and turn a blind eye to the real issues which develop...and if were not doing that were creating them up just like the smoking ban...wats next...no jogging after 6pm because it could scare old people while running behind them..quick gordan get that in your note book...p.s how long was smoking allowed in this country before u banned it? sad sad people..i only smoke occasionallly but uv killed my social life....mite aswelll move abroad people this countrys gone to pot”

“Dai, Gloucester, Old people suffer from 'Senile Dementia',
they become incapable of kooking after themselves.If people who gave up the dreaded weed and live ten years longer, the number people suffering from 'Senile-
Dementia' will increase by 10 fold. These people are going to need nursing care, and who's going to pay for all the nursing homes?
I hope this has answered your
question.”

“I smoked for twenty years, gave up 4 years ago. I have maybe one cig a month if i'm particularly stressed. I maybe got my sense of taste back but all i've done is eat cake and biscuits and I know plenty more like me and worse. I honestly feel no better healthwise and am now trying to give up snacks instead of smokes. Only smokers know how it affects their social life, their conversation, their coping strategies.. how do the govt measure success? Any sensible government would have given people a CHOICE. Smoking rooms, smoking pubs or smoking licenses. I like the point about other taxes compensating the govt for lost revenue. I can also see the NHS having to treat more people for obesity. What do the government want from us? To stay indoors and shut up? It makes me sick. Other countries aspire to be like us apparantly. WHY??
I'm still angry at the anti-smoking brigade, some of whom were friends. They don't go to the pub more than they used to, in fact they go less cos there's noone in”

“The smoking ban was a dreadful idea, dreamed up by lazy politicians who could no longer be bothered to deal with serious social problems such as crime, poverty etc.
The experiment has completely backfired, in my opinion, making a great deal of law-abiding, tax-paying citizens extremely angry, causing a massive shortfall in the hospitality industry and bringing us, as a country, ever closer to a totalitarian state.
We smokers watch with interest, the recent scare stories and advertisements warning us of the perils of alcohol. it's all very deja vu to us.
In time the ads will be less informative in style, they'll take on a more sinister, bullying tone. Drinkers will be called stupid and smelly. Duty on alcohol will sky-rocket (for our own good, of course). Eventually the last remaining pubs will close...and all the little nazis will be happy for a while, perhaps they'll turn their attention to food, media, the family car and air travel are already under fire. What else can we ban...”

“The ban has removed tolerance and compomise and introduced a real division in society. Smokers can now be described in the most derogatory terms without fear of legal rebuke.
I now smoke much more with friends outside the pub as I no longer any need to respect non-smoking companions inside. I'm also saving a fortune enjoying mini-breaks to Spain where i give their Government around a quarter of the tax that our Government used to get!

It's not all bad”

“Although at first I thought the smoking ban was a good idea, I am worried it may be part of the governments anti-pub drive. This, along with the alcohol tax rise, has made thousands of pubs go out of business. I see nothing wrong with smoking inside as long as any premises that chooses to allow smoking has a separate smoking room, so non-smokers can enjoy it as well.”

“I wonder how many people have calculated how much shortfall the Government has per week from lost revenue if the figures are correct in the article. They make approximately £50 per 200 cigarettes per week that is a shortfall of £20,000,000 per week so next time they complain about the rise in fuel tax vel and other taxes just think how much smokers suplimented the nhs and fuel etc. They have to make up the difference somewhere just like any household does if they lose an income.”

“Darrell
You shouldn't even be allowed on the streets so shut up you t*t”

“Ben from Cheltenham - I'm an all or nothing kind of girl! Even when I was smoking I hoped that one day they would ban it! You and I both know that the government are way to greedy! Think you ought to sit back and re-think what I've said!”

“I quit in 2005 in order to be a non smoker before the ban came into place. I am so glad I did and I am sure I wouldn't be able to cope with smoke in pubs etc, and am so glad it's banned. You can smell a smoker a mile off and I am amazed I ever let myself smell that way, let alone spend a fortune on killing myself!!! Well done for the ban......best idea yet”