You want to smoke, you make the sacrifice

If you're english you will know all about the smoking ban coming into effect soon. Since TGN seems to be down I've done all my regulars now so I'd thought I'd give my two cents on this. No point in starting a fanfic until I can get into a routine.

I'm a non smoker and I'm glad the government have actually done something about smoking in crowded public places.

Everytime I go out I always smell of other people's smoke. My clothes stink really bad and there's nothing I can do about it. Smokers go out and they want to light up a fag (cigarrette to you yanks and probably rest of the world too) to enjoy themselves.

Now there would be no problem with that if their smoke didn't effect the people around them. Clothes stink, non smokers lungs get polluted and it's all for someone else's moment of pleasure. So I'm glad something's been done about it.

Though expectedly non-smokers are pissed off at this. Here's a couple of arguements I've read:

Drinking damages health, by same logic drinking should be banned

You seem to be forgetting that drinking only damages the health of the drinker, not everyone else too. Maybe you're thinking Passive smoking isn't that bad, stop crying, and maybe you're right I don't have the facts. Fact remains smoking effects those around you negatively, even if it's just making their clothes smell.

If smoking didn't effect those around you it would be fine.

Cars pollute air too, shouldn't they be banned

This is stupid. Unless I crash a car exhaust first into a pub it's not the same thing. Cars release exhaust fumes whenever you're driving, which means outside on roads. Guess what SMOKING OUTSIDE is OK. The smoke difuses into the air and thus any effect on someone else is neglible.

Ban smoking and the government will lose money from taxes

Idiotic point this. This smoking ban isn't a TOTAL BAN. You can still smoke in private buildings and outside. Those that smoke loads are still going to buy fags to smoke. Those that would only smoke when they were out (don't get this at all BTW), probably will no longer see any point and quit. Any drop in cigarrette sales will be neglible.

Or it's about tax on alcohol. Just because you need to leave a building to smoke is not going to deter smoking drinkers. Pubs will be as busy as always just more people will be outside than usual.

Smoking should be banned but cannibis should be legalised

A fair enough point. Though if cannibis was legalised it would probably be under the same rules for smoking, even stricter. It should only be done in private anyway, and most cannibis users are happy with that aren't they?

Sneaking around and getting stuff from dealers should be a thing of the past as far as cannibis is concerned. The only possible reason I can see is addiction leading to irrationality. Same thing can be said for ordinary smoking.

I have a right to smoke, Taking it away is taking away my rights

Oh please. We don't let people murder each other, or steal from each other, or seriously hurt each other, or even allow heavy insults to each other. Why? Cause it's the law, well duh! but when you think about it it's so that people do not negatively effect those around them.

Smoking is a selfish act. You do it for yourself only and it effects those around you negatively no matter how careful you are. Same could be said for drinking but they only happen when people lose control, and most of the more serious stuff is illegal anyway. Fighting in the streets after getting drunk? Go to jail. Drink, drive and kill? Go to Jail for a long time.

Non smokers have the right to go out and enjoy themselves without any consequences, unless it's from their own actions. This does not include deciding to enter a pub. Why should a non smoker avoid pubs just to avoid smoking effects? Why should we suffer for you? It's your moment of pleasure, you sacrifice.

And that's the whole point really. If you want to enjoy yourself that negatively effects those around you, get away from those people. Your pleasure, your sacrifice. Stop thinking you're the only one that matters and try seeing some sense in all this.

YOU want to SMOKE, YOU SACRIFICE by going OUTSIDE.
I don't want to SMOKE, I shouldn't have to SACRIFICE by SMELLING of YOUR SMOKE, not to mention passive smoking.

--------------------------------

On a side note, Happy Birthday to me!