Unintended consequences of the smoking ban
Tuesday, October 30, 2007 
The Forest website has a scrolling newsfeed - updated every day - with links to the latest smoking-related stories. Among the current headlines are 'Smoking ban sparks obesity crisis', 'Butts increase since smoking ban', and 'Pub landlord faces legal action for letting people smoke outside'.
Click on the links and we find that:
Health chiefs are being forced to plough an extra half a million pounds into fighting fat – because people who quit smoking after the public ban have piled on the pounds.
Ashtrays are to be installed across a Northamptonshire town following an increase in cigarette butts littering the streets. Northampton Borough Council said the move follows a 43% rise in the litter since the ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces came into force in July.
A pub landlord could face legal action for allowing punters to smoke in his beer garden. Jeff Castledine, who runs the Queen's Head, in Boreham, Essex, has been told his council is investigating a complaint that "odour" from his beer garden is "affecting a nearby resident".
These are just three (unintended?) consequences of the smoking ban. I could list many more but you don't need me to. Check the newsfeed on a regular basis and you will find all the evidence you need that the ban - which the government and other anti-smoking agencies say has been a great "success" - is causing all sorts of problems.
The solution is simple. Give pubs and clubs the option of applying to their local authority for a smoking licence that would allow enable some (a minority) to accommodate smokers, in comfort, indoors. (Oh, I forgot, that wouldn't be a "level playing field" but if the smoking ban is so popular that shouldn't be a problem, should it?)
Instead, the government will no doubt react to the consequences of the ban with further restrictions (on what we eat, where we can smoke), supported by legislation and backed up by fines and other penalties. Still, at least there won't be any job shortages - by 2020 half of our ever expanding population will be employed as uniformed wardens and undercover enforcement officers.
Reader Comments (4)
Prior to the ban, a well ventilated pub had few (if any) problems. Since the ban, fag ends, blocked pavements, noisey smokers outside and in pub gardens, smoke drifting into next doors gardens, pubs closing and staff being laid off. Is the ban a good thing? Spain has the best idea, small pubs choose and large pubs have separate areas. In Newport smoking is banned in a 'substantially enclosed' bus stations, but buses are allowed.
Sad though it is, I suppose we should not have expected anything else from government - local and national, they are all a load of brainless idiots who no doubt could not manage the proverbial **ss up in a brewery!
How can anyone have any faith in governments any more when the people in government are mainly there for their own reasons and no-one elses; they line their own pockets with dodgy deals, push through legislation and spend money that THEY want, where they want, and to hell with those of us who have put up the money in the first place!
I agree, Spain does have the better idea and it works very well. Unfortunately the Britishness that got this country through 2 world wars is also the very same Britishness that has allowed national and local governments to steamroller over everyone in their quest for fame and fortune. It is about time ALL of us stood up and refused to take any more of this nannying - it is not for our good at all, as we are already seeing. If this carries on, it will end up like America in the 1860's when the civil war had brother fighting brother and father fighting son - not a good state of affairs, but those in government will still be lining their pockets and doing exactly what they want!
If you want to make a peaceful protest about the Nanny State then look at www.sleepwalkprison.com you might just find it interesting.
Chas. If you travel about 20 miles north you will come across an arcade that was refurbished for the Millennium in 2000. Part of its roof was left open because buses and heavilier polluting vehicles were passing by at both ends. It was done to avoid the build up of fumes from this form of transport. Guess What! There is a total smoking ban in this arcade. No doubt other readers can provide other examples of such pathetic nannying.
Alum
Newport, Wales. Substantially enclosed bus station. Smoking banned, but buses throwing out exhaust fumes allowed. Welcome to Little Britain.