erinb

hi all,

Okay, I am sure I a minority here..but I just heard about the smoking ban in irish pubs that will begin on March 29th. I just can't imagine visiting a pub and not being able to smoke. Yes I can understand ban's in offices and factories workplace and goverment offices...but pubs?

I heard that if a customer lights up it could result in a 3000 pd fine. the courts of ireland are going to be backlogged for 100 years. I realize that only 30-40% of the population smoke, but I would have to say that 60-70% of pub goers smoke?

I am a smoker and therefore very biased in this matter. the one cig I hate doing without is that one that follows a meal or with drinks. there will be mass "stepping outside" to light up and that will mean alot of lost revenues for the pub owners.

of course, the pub workers will be healthy because they are no longer exposed to secondhand smoke, but when they can't put food on the table because they are out of jobs.....this is not trendy california...it is going to affect the revenues.

okay...I am waiting for the blast!

Ban the Ban on smoke free pubs!

WillTravel

This reply goes slightly off-topic, but I heard a radio program a few weeks ago that even France was going increasingly non-smoking. Jacques Chirac recently quit smoking, and as soon as he did that, up went the cigarette taxes. I can't remember the specifics, but in general, smoking has become less popular in France.

I think the Irish type of non-smoking law is the wave of the future in the EU (I seem to recall hearing of similar bans in the Netherlands and Norway). It might take a little while to get going, but I bet in about 10 years, this will be a standard EU-country law.

Nimrod

To answer the question in your header, yes. A complex and little-known chain of events starts in motion once any new regulation in the Republic of Ireland is enacted and all other international, regional, metropolitan, county, civic and district jurisdictions are not only obliged, but mandated, to comply.

highledge

Ireland and the UK are DIFFERENT countries in Europe. If Canada banned smoking would this affect the US? NO.
So you are free to smoke in pubs in London and the UK.

WillTravel

But the law won't extend to the UK, since the Republic of Ireland is separate (obviously).

WillTravel

Oops, highledge beat me by a minute .

PJKeay

I heard about this on the Radio the other day. The new law will, apparantly, be enforced by specially trained inspectors, who will work 9am - 5pm!!

Nimrod

Yeah that's right, and I read in the National Enquirer that Interpol has an army of specially trained plain-clothed undercover agents poised and just waiting to pounce on all the scumbag law-breakers and ship their arses off to the World Court in The Hague.

Kate

Interesting title...

"smoking ban in Canadian pubs... does this extend to all the US and Washington DC?"

Duh..

Patrick

Why so hard on erinb? I didn't read the question as being naive enough to suggest that the legal system would join the two countries together. I read it more as "this ban is in effect in Ireland. Is there a SIMILAR ban in the UK including London."

I don't think it would be out of line for a Aussie to say, "I just read that smoking is banned in Canada. I'm curious if it is also banned in the US."

ira

To give a little perspective on the world-wide antismoking revolution;

in the last 10 years Georgia has gone from being a tobacco growing state to one in which we are now considering banning smoking in all public buildings, except stand-alone bars.

Clifton

As a (mostly) ex-smoker *cough* (literally), I think the ban there in Ireland will go mostly like bans here do. Some complaining, quite a bit of resistance from pub owners out in the smaller towns. I can see it taking a good while for the whole thing to finally seem viable in pubs in off the path towns where the pub owner wants to hang on to his customers, there's no tourists so no one to complain and you don't call in the garda on your friends.

In Dublin though, and in towns with tourist traffic, I can see it de-fogging fairly quickly inside, with some grumbling locals huddled around outside (just like here!). How the success or failure of the ban works in Ireland may or may not be used as fuel to some anti-smoking campaign in the UK later. Maybe not. The two countries haven't a history of looking on the other side of the fence for ideas.

FredsMom

Alabama's leaving it up to the individual communities, with some choosing to go smoke-free. Montgomery has most recently let establishments with 50%+ revenues from alcohol sales permit smoking, but the city council's starting to consider the rights of servers to work in a smoke-free environment.

nytraveler

Just a little perspective. The complete smoking ban in New York has been in effect less than a year and there is already over 97% compliance in all venues (only "cigar bars" are exempt.) this despite everyone whining that bars and restaurants would all go out of business and that the smokers woulnd;t stand for this change. (frequently they just go outside for a smoke between dinner and coffee.)

jor

I find it interesting that someone who doesn't even know that Ireland is a separate country from the UK would be concerned that Irish pub workers might loss their jobs. Oh, the logic of smokers. erinb, no one will lose their job, if that eases your mind. But they might have better health AND their jobs. LOL

highledge

While I see your point Patrick, it was the word "all" that made me assume that erinb was a bit unclear as to Ireland being a Republic- not a part of the UK.
does this extend to the UK.....
does this extend to all UK.....

jor

Erinb, five days without a reply? You bin suckin on that cigarette and trying to figure out where Ireland is the whole time? How about some feedback?

SiobhanP

1. The ban is just for Ireland
2. They are trying to allow some of boarder bars to be excempt as they will lose business to Northern Irish bars (UK).
3. Some countries are talking about a similar ban.
4. Never heard of people partolling the bars other than checks por police being notified. We havent't gopt that extreme yet.
5. I do not know the amount of money for a fine but I find €3000 (not pounds)a high amount and believe its lower. Maybe its the amount the pub owner pays if someoen is caught smoking.

We are constantly being remided of late in the Irish papewrs of how unhealthy we are becomeing by living up to thereputation the world has of us being big drinkers and smokers. More people are in favour than against the ban. I like an occasional cig and

SiobhanP

1. The ban is just for Ireland
2. They are trying to allow some of boarder bars to be excempt as they will lose business to Northern Irish bars (UK).
3. Some countries are talking about a similar ban.
4. Never heard of people partolling the bars other than checks por police being notified. We havent't gopt that extreme yet.
5. I do not know the amount of money for a fine but I find €3000 (not pounds)a high amount and believe its lower. Maybe its the amount the pub owner pays if someoen is caught smoking.

We are constantly being remided of late in the Irish papewrs of how unhealthy we are becomeing by living up to thereputation the world has of us being big drinkers and smokers. More people are in favour than against the ban. I like an occasional cig and will have to go outside for it. At least I will be able to breath in the morning and it makes me want to give them up alltogether!

JonJon

Yes, Erinb you are in a minority in more ways than one and as a health professional (to parapharse your words) "I cannot imagine not having to take care of you someday because you ruined your health by continuing to smoke...and, of course, "allowed" the rest of us to pay for it!