Smoking festival: united we stand
Monday, August 31, 2009 
I understand that the "Smoking' Festival" at the Jolly Brewer in Lincoln (see previous post HERE) was a great success. Pat Nurse, who lives locally, has sent me a photo of "legendary local guitarist Jon Gomm" wearing a Save Our Pubs and Clubs t-shirt.
Pat reports that in return for registering their support for the campaign, customers were given Forest t-shirts featuring the slogan "Don't walk, don't smoke, don't drink, don't think".
"Some people asked to take registration forms to their local landlord or to their friends. There was such a buzz as I went to the bar. As I waited to be served, all I could hear were people debating choice instead of the usual pub banter."
Thanks to Jolly Brewer landlady Emma Chapman, who organised the event, and everyone who supported it. Pat has a longer report on her own blog HERE.
Photo courtesy Maureen Whisker
Reader Comments (21)
Freedom2Choose gets a big mention in Pat's blog, well done to all concerned.
<<"Each individual adult is responsible for making decisions freely about their desired lifestyle without state interference," >>>
Interesting point of view ... and from a very interesting source!
<<Argentina's Supreme Court has ruled out prison for possession of marijuana, saying that the government should go after major traffickers and provide treatment instead of jail for consumers.
Ruling in a case on Tuesday involving several young men caught with marijuana cigarettes, the judges struck down a law providing for up to two years in prison for possession of small amounts of narcotics.
The seven judges said that they were unanimous in "declaring the unconstitutionality of prison for private consumption.
"Each individual adult is responsible for making decisions freely about their desired lifestyle without state interference," they said in their ruling.
"Private conduct is allowed unless it constitutes a real danger or causes damage to property or the rights of others." >>>
Full story here:
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/world/Drug-users-will-not-face-prison-sentence
What is this FOREST acclamation to the Smokers festival in Lincoln? Al I saw was freedom2choose T-shirts (worn by all the staff), freedom2choose representation, freedom2choose literature and the freedom2choose speeches telling us all for the first time that there was a massive nationwide organisation backing smokers!
I didn't hear anyone from FOREST speak on the night and I didn't see any FOREST representation, only freedom2choose!
Who are FOREST when there is a potent force prepared to talk to all people - smokers.
Good on you f2c - lets have more of this.
I Was there Rob, I made my own bagde 'Forest & F2C' Peter James. seeing I am a member of both.
No offence intended to F2C. I know that some members of F2C prefer the group to distance itself from Forest so I tend to err on the side of caution when referring to F2C on this blog. I did however link to Pat's blog which credits F2C with a significant presence at the Smoking Festival and I also thanked "everyone" who supported the event. Anyone who reads Pat's blog will realise that "everyone" includes F2C. Read between the lines, folks!
Truth is, I am delighted that there is another group actively opposed to the smoking ban. It has always been my hope that we can create the same "swarm effect" that ASH boasted about in the infamous "Smoke and mirrors" article that appeared in the Guardian shortly after MPs voted for the smoking ban. To achieve that we need a number of mutually supportive groups all battling together and in the same direction.
I'll stop there because if I say anything else it's likely to get misinterpreted and someone, somewhere, will use it as an excuse to attack me or Forest or both, and that's not very helpful!!
Well done. So, as a matter of interest, how many people do you estimate attended the festival?
Blad, I guess there were about 150 on Friday evening, more than 200 on the Saturday, and this I judge against ticket sales of 300 on the Sunday evening.
F2C had a presence, and so did Forest in the SOPAC beer mats, registration forms, and Forest T shirts, and post cards as displayed on my blog.
Just for the record, I support ALL pro-choice groups. They all have something unique to offer to the fight. Forest, I believe, has the listening ear of politicians, as much as we can expect on this subject anyway, and F2C has people and grass roots power.
We all work towards the same aim - freedom of choice, freedom of thought, freedom of speech and freedom of action. United we should stand!
I totally agree Pat.
I can't acces Freedom2Choose and Forces website. Does anyone have similar problems?
I was there also. A great success for all involved and an (increasingly) rare opportunity to see live bands playing in pubs. Pre-July 07 live music (to suit most tastes and ages) was commonplace in pubs in and around Lincoln. Particularly welcome in rural areas. No longer - an absolute tragedy, not only for audiences and bands in general, but also for young musicians trying to get established. We should recognise that this is yet another traditional feature that is gradually disappearing along with the pubs, often the only places that bands can play live. Such people deserve all our support and encouragement. It's not just smokers who are suffering. It's the majority of pub lovers. An affiliation with the music industry might be worth pursuing.
The story of the 'Smokin' Festival' - a great success for all anti prohibitionists.
The Jolly Brewer Smokin’ Festival-By Phil Johnson-Pub & Club Liaison Officer-F2C
http://freedom-2-choose.blogspot.com/20 ... -phil.html
brankach.F2C front page isn't working at the moment, but you can access the site by going onto
http://www.freedom2choose.org/forum/index.php
This blog seemed to imply this was a Forest led event when it clearly wasn’t. Hardly conducive to teamwork.
Surely The swarm effect requires a single message.
As a distant observer I sometimes cringe at Forest’s apologist approach.
Recent comments such as ‘the jury is still out on passive smoke’ must have ASH laughing into their Perrier.
It is heartening though now, to see another group lead the way. Let us hope the swarm catches up.
Just so you all know: the building where our servers (and Forces) are housed suffered a major fire. Our hosts are working night and day to restore service. We do not yet know the cause of the fire.
Keep checking the F2C front page. I will need to explain our involuntary absence when we come back on line. Hopefully by then we will have the full story for you.
Emma and I are very grateful to the input of both groups .. Forest for the magnificent resources, which were very popular with JB punters and visitors, and SOPAC registration forms that allowed them to add their voice to the campaign, and F2C for the dedicated staff that came along to man the stall, speak to punters, and hand out literature, info, and raffle prizes.
I don't think this blog implies that Forest "led" the event but it was certainly involved as much as was possible given that Simon was away that weekend as were many other pro-choice campaigners/supporters who would have liked to have been there but, for one reason or another, were unable to make the event.
As for jury still being out, how come we have a smoking ban based on the premise that SHS is harmful? A jury wasn't even invited to assess the evidence. This was the judgement of a kangeroo court comprised of corrupt and misinformed MPs, and based on 'expert witness' statements by paid lackeys and profiteers. Hence the ridiculous mantra 'there is no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke'. Their argument relies on this being accepted by the gullible general public and by those with influence who should know better. The antis are using similar dirty tactics with regard to the tobacco display issue. Not forgetting, of course, that alcohol 'bans' are also on the agenda.
Health issues aside, TC also claims that businesses are unaffected by strict controls. Utter rubbish. Since when has ASH, the NHS and the current government been economic gurus? The NHS can't even balance their own books. It's the epitome of a badly managed organisation.As for the government, it goes without saying that the Labour party couldn't organise the proverbial in a brewery. They always ruin the economy. Added to which, they plan to had the country over to the EU - that other upstanding proponent of democracy and civil liberties.
If we meekly succumb to this, they have won. Think about it, if they get away with it, a smoke ban in private homes is inevitable. Made all the more easy, given that this time it really does involve children.
Prompted by Simon's comment above, I've made some remarks about "swarm effects" here.
Would it not be a good Idea if the "swarms" of F2C and Forest amalgamated into one group. One big group would have more impact with the political class, apart from having fewer overheads.
Nick. I disagree with F2C and Forest amalgamating into one group, because anti-smoking groups love to dismiss Forest as being funded by Tobacco companies, whereas F2C are only funded by its members. All anti-prohibition groups must be united, however, and fight together.
Chas, I agree. Both groups add something important and unique. Forest may be criticised for being tobacco funded, but in truth, the antis and the media call ALL pro-choicers "the Tobacco lobby" whether we are or not.
Instead of squabbling as to who has more respect, power, authority, or "clean hands", the movement should defend all quarters, and with every allegation of being funded by Big T, they should respond in kind by ensuring the message gets through that antis cannot take the moral high ground on this issue anymore as they are funded by huge drug companies.
Finally, it would have been nice somewhere to be acknowledged as the person who made the smokers' festival possible simply by linking one landlady with pro-choice groups, and then suggesting that her established festival be used to help spread the message to those isolated smokers who know nothing of the online campaigns.
This would not have been as successful without the help of F2C and Forest. We all played a part. We should all be rightly proud that it went down so well!
It is said that about 95% of anti-smoking groups funding is from Big Pharma.
Pfizer is a paid member of WHO, who are responsible for the smoking bans throughout the world.
US drugmaker Pfizer has agreed to pay $2.3bn (£1.4bn) in the largest healthcare fraud settlement in the history of the Department of Justice.
An interesting read
http://www.naturalnews.com/026963_Pfizer_Bextra_health.html