Tobacco control: press comment
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 
We're not alone in our reaction to yesterday's announcement on future tobacco control. Writing on his blog, Telegraph leader writer Alex Singleton comments:
How refreshing it was to read today that Andy Burnham, the Health Secretary, thinks that the state has no right to nanny us about what we do in private spaces. Apparently, he’s dead set opposed to introducing new legislation to stop parents smoking in their homes. That’s just the sort of liberal attitude I like in politicians.
But hang on a minute. If he really believes that it’s none of the state’s business to regulate smoking on private property, I do hope he sees the irony. His Government is the one that has forced hundreds of pubs out of business precisely because it banned smoking on their private property.
Full post HERE.
The Daily Mirror's Sue Carroll, a former winner of Forest's Smoker-Friendly Journalist of the Year award, has this to say:
Health Secretary Andy Burnham wants cigarette firme to package fags in grey boxes. Radical or what? Couldn't he make them coffin-shaped AND grey? "I make no apology for taking a tough line," he says of his "smoke-free" vision of the future. Yadda, yadda.
Like every other lily-livered, big-talking, anti-nicotine evangelist, Mr Burnham wants to nag us into submission knowing perfectly well the only way he'll get a "smoke-free" Britain is a total ban on tobacco products.
But an instant £7 billion-shaped hole in the national economy wouldn't look too good on the old CV, would it?
In the Independent columnist John Walsh writes:
Look, there's a chap over there smoking. Let's go over and torment him. We've already banned him from smoking indoors, forced him to stand outside the pub in the freezing sleet, charged him over six quid a pack and festooned each pack with images of rotting lungs, disgusting teeth and stunted babies.
We've told private members' clubs they can't make their own rules about whether members are allowed to smoke, and we've made employers think twice about hiring a smoker (even if he doesn't indulge at work) as if the act of lighting a gasper was in some way criminal.
Full article HERE.
Simon Clark
Why are we punishing smokers? asks Charlotte Gore on the Guardian website. Charlotte was a panellist at The Free Society/Liberal Vision event at last year's Lib Dem conference in Bournemouth. You might not agree with the basic premise that all smokers are addicts but it's a powerful piece nonetheless.
Simon Clark
See also Sholto Byrnes' piece, currently the second most-commented on article on the Guardian website: Don't stub out smokers' pleasure. Describing Andy Burnham as "our dreary health secretary" he writes:
I have no desire to impose my habit on others; but that is not enough for those of Burnham's ilk. They wish to force me to "improve" myself ...
Reader Comments (16)
How refreshing that a few journalists are commenting on the irony and stupidity of aspects of the smoking ban and what is being proposed for the future.
Pity they didn't do so more vehemently a few years ago, or even indeed, now!
Where are the teeth journalists were supposed to have when it came to controversy?
This feels really encouraging, and makes a change as Lyn says.
I wonder if the talk about banning smoking in Pub Gardens (for goodness' sake) could at last be the thing that makes people realise it's gone too far ... surely all but the most rabid would see there's no possible risk from someone smoking several feet away in the open air?!
On this basis, is it worth trying to get the Conservatives to pledge that they won't bring in a ban in pub gardens ... I should have thought an"Enough is enough" message would quite appeal to Cameron?
@Rose
I think you make a good point here. The Tories have been very quiet on this so far. I am also encouraged that Mike Penning a Junior Shadow Health Secretary is against the tobacco display ban too. I think the Tories also could be more pro active in railing against the nanny state and offering to reverse it.
Whatever, 5 more years of Labour will just heap insult onto injury.
I don't think I can take much more of this nonsense!
How can any Government body make smoking in the open air (i.e. Pub Gardens) illegal? Like most of you, I also believe that this contentious issue is not about health but about control.
But controlling who, what and why?
I am in my 60's now and have enjoyed smoking since I was 15 (tut! tut!) and although I have understood the reasoning behind the legislation banning smoking in enclosed public areas i.e. planes, trains, buses, restaurants etc., I have always regarded pubs and clubs as an adult 'playground', where adults can enjoy the pleasures of stimulating grown-up conversation and the sharing of stories (true or slightly embellished) over a drink of their choice and tobacco products if they choose.
Now, because of Government legislation, the "pubs" have thrown out the ashtrays, opened their doors to children and have become "family eateries".
So...where can the adults congretate now for a drink and a smoke?
Outside only - there is no compromise!
It matters not if you're a pensioner and a smoker and have looked forward to a couple of evenings a week with friends in your local pub or club during your retirement - out you go, come rain, sleet or snow.
And now...it's to be the pub/club outdoor areas!
Call me cynical, but I'm beginning to wonder if this has more to do with stopping people socialising rather than health issues.
Finally, I would like to thank Simon, and all you good people, who are trying so hard to stop this wretched Government from forcing any further restrictions upon us smokers.
Kind regards...
Pensioner Ellie
Ellie said:
Call me cynical, but I'm beginning to wonder if this has more to do with stopping people socialising rather than health issues.
If you are cynical, Ellie, then so are most of us here, I think! You are far from being alone in your thoughts that this is all more to do with stopping people socialising than health, same as 'global warming' is more of an excuse to tax us more than anything to do with climate!
This government and their chums in the EU as well as the US have conned us subtly for many years now, it is only now just dawning on most people that this is what has been happening. Unfortunately it is very difficult to stop a steam engine that is at full speed!
We have all bee naive or too PC or British and as a consequence these governments have got away with far too much.
Far more people need to stand up and be counted now and far more need to become very cynical - in my view.
It will get worse.
Simply because they have to take more and more Liberty to create the quangos ,jobsworths et al .
The idea is simple the EU of which our Government is merely a department of, wish to employ or control,all of us.
This gives them total control over us or so they percieve.
Hard to vote against a government that pays your wages or pays your fees.
I believe it is termed .
Stalinism.
Total government ,they are getting close to it .
Here's, for what it's worth, the missing link to the Charlotte Gore piece in the Guardian.
She makes tobacco sound like heroin. I don't believe that it is.
Of course it is about stopping people socialising! I've thought this all the way along. If they really wanted people to socialise, they would not allow 57 (current figure) public houses, plus clubs, bingo halls and cafés to close down. They are all businesses and provide employment. If people cannot go out and socialise, they are FAR easier to control - and control is what these marxist anti-smoking zealots are about.
Regarding the article - maybe I am an addict regarding tobacco. However, I am not addicted to controlling the lives of others and addicted to making people as miserable as possible as well as bullying them.
As for health reasons - stress, nervous tension, depression and other mental illnesses are soaring now. The suicide rate has gone up - all this is not for no reason. Psychological bullying can be as bad for people's health as physical bullying. That's why people leave workplaces gibbering wrecks. Instead of Education, Education, Education - we've had regulation, regulation, regulation and now control, control, control!
@ Dave
What would be the best way to approach the Conservatives and try to win support on this point?
Exceptionally well put Jenny of Yorkshire.
Jenny -
Right on the money !
Just one point (but it's a BIG one):
REAL 'marxists' - not the phony Student-and-Celebrity variety - long ago recognised that the ONLY way to achieve their long-term objective of world-wide control (read the literature, folks) was by INFILTRATION into the various Citadels of Influence in the Free West, where the People at least expect to have SOME say in the way they are governed.
And if that means adopting the rhetoric of (say) a Fabian Socialist, a 'Right-Wing' Tory, or even a Redneck Republican, so be it.
ACTIONS - as we are constantly reminded - speak louder than WORDS.
Grasp this simple fact, and many of the 'paradoxes' of public life suddenly seem rather LESS paradoxical.
But, BEHIND the 'marxists'...................
Power is THE game. All the rest is mere Tactics.
@Rose
To be honest past contacts have not been encouraging. Tory rank and file agree with us as do most MPs but it is at Shadow Minister level that it is falling down. Cameron is going for a centrist approach to appeal to the centre left, so hence he is embracing green issues and even health issues. Like it or not the Conservatives will almost certainly be the next government and we can but hope they adopt a different attitude once in power.
I have been told that things will not get much worse. If they do the rank and file will be giving it a go on ConservativeHome.
I agree Martin maybe Mcarthy was right after all.
"maybe Mcarthy was right after all."
Let's put it this way, Specky:
Not as 'wrong' as most are led to believe.
But don't DARE even to suggest such a Forbidden Thought to Mr Humphreys or Mr Naughtie at 7.00 AM.
In THIS country today, you see, we don't even NEED a Thought Police.
Fashion and Peer-Group Pressure are FAR more effective........................
Martin V - just re-read your penultimate post -re: Marxists, That's the reason why I sit here typing instead of having a decent, steady, professional job for which I am more than suitably qualified. In the field of education today, marxists have taken over and chucked out the free-thinkers like me. We were watched and then denounced. People like me may have actually taught people properly and improved standards - that's why we have been vapourised.
Jenny -
And it's happening EVERYWHERE.
'Tragedy' is almost too small a word to describe the process.
But RECOGNISING the process is at least a start - and makes 'educators' of ALL of us who wish to do something about it.
For those who still have the ability to listen, that is...........