27 days to go........

[Gary]

..........til the smoking ban in Pubs etc comes into effect.

So, what do ye think? Will it be the end of Irish pub culture as we know it, or are people over reacting completely on both sides of the argument.

Heres my 2 cents worth:

According to a survey, around 70% of pub goers are non smokers anyway, and of the remaining 30% around a quarter are social smokers anyway, and at leats one third are wanting to quit, leaving an astonishing 12% (approx) of the entire pub going public will be truly affected.

In that case, i say tough titty to them. their habit stinks and kills, and i say that from the point of view of an ex smoker (not a reformed smoker, please note the diffference!.

Yes, it will hurt publicans. For about 2-3 wks. Same as what happened when smoking was banned in cinemas 15 yrs ago.

27 days to go !!!!

:cool:

[Colm]

I reckon it will cause huge hassle for the first month or two but then people will get used to it and eventually smoking indoors won't even cross the minds of pubgoers.
I think it is a good idea to be honest, I used to smoke but now I actually hate the stink of stale smoke that you get off of clothes the morning after a night.

[Éanna]

Smoking is not healthy, but if people want to kill themselves its their own business. I think the only reason that the ban was needed is because publicans have never bothered to install proper ventilation. I've been in bars in other countries where you wouldn't notice if there was a bonfire at the table next to you becuase the ventilation was so good, but here you're subjected to a rotten cloud of fumes in at least every second bar. The publicans only have themselves to blame, and if they do lose money- tough sh1te, they've been ripping us off for years

[Beavis]

Perhaps ventilation is to blame but the low roof and dense cloud is thought synonimous with a 'good atmosphere' for an irish pub and presumably one of the reasons publicans are reluctant to air out their pubs.
Can't wait for the ban.Can't stand the morning after phlegm,mucus,throat clearing,painful spluttering...passive smokers have been victimised for too long

[NJTom]

Smoking has been banned in the bars in NYC for a while and even as a smoker I have to admit I like it better without the thick cloud of smoke. It can be a real pain standing outside in below freezing temps, however.

To date the state of New Jersey has yet to consider the idea

[Footie_Fan]

I think it's a great idea... one of the few from our government. I hate the smell the next morning and the most annoying thing ever is to get a cigarette burn on your clothes.

I think in the short run publicans may loose out slightly but in the long run, as was observed in NYC pubs, they will see an increase in profits. Though the publicans will probably justify a price increase due to the short term "loss". :rolleyes:

[brendy_éire]

Kill off Irish pubs? Will never happen. Smokers will still go to pubs to drink. They'll just have their fags outside.
Have to say, this is one of the very few decent politics to be brought in by the FF/PD capitalist scum government. Congrats to ye's lads.

[tiktok]

can't wait for it, i'm well sick of smelling like an ashtray the morning after a night in the pub, especially when hardly anybody i socialise with smokes.

and it won't kill off the bar scene, off-licences might because of the price of drink, but a smoking ban won't.

i do have a bit of sympathy for the old bloke who wanders in on a tuesday afternoon for a pint of plain and a smoke though and has been doing it for thirty years. One thing is it should have been introduced in the summer so we didn't have to listen to smokers complaining about standing out in the cold.

[Peadar]

Originally posted by davros
Can't see this being implemented in rural W.Cork though

That statement is something I take great offence to.
We're very progressive in West Cork and the way our tourism and food is marketed proves that.
West Cork is the only place in Ireland to fully implement the pay by weight scheme for domestic refuse.
We wholly embraced the introduction of the €uro and the plastic bag tax, why will this be any different?
If anything I'd say the inner city pubs where the "hards" frequent will be the worst offenders with regard to the smoking ban.

As for my opinion on the ban itself, I can't wait.
Imagine coming home from a night out not coughing and no fag burns in your clothes, which also don't stink of smoke.
TD Martin will be remembered favourably in history.

[SÓC]

Originally posted by Peadar

TD Martin will be remembered favourably in history.

Michéal Martin will be remembered as a great Taoiseach too sure;)

Some say Bertie only gave him Health because he knew Martin would take flak for something which had nothing to do with him; about 50 years of underinvestment in health (by all political parties). Might just backfire on Bertie. Martin has reduced the waiting lists, start things like the treat purchase scheme and has sucessfully lobbied to allow partners of nurses from non EEA countries to be granted work permits.

Smoking ban is an excellent excellent idea. They need to police it toughly at the start and then people wont spark up.

The people who are against this have very poor arguements. Publicians are thinking of their pockets, even though in the long run they might make more money. And the smokers:rolleyes:.Listen to a Radio1 phone in and you'll soon find out how weak their arguements are.

[max power]

the ban is the best thing ever, as someone who works in these smokey venues 4/5 nights a week it is a good thing...the smell of my clothes alone as disgusting...someone walks up to you to ask you for a rquest, they have a fag in their hand, you ask the to keep it away from you and they are insulted......ha ha 26 more days and then the real fun begins...

[pete]

I think the ban will be excellent.

Ventilation in pubs seems to vary greately as sometimes be on little smopke smell from clothes & other times be polluted by it although depends what were wearingt too.

[Gary]

Kinda unanimous so far innit! :)

[NigeSausagepump]

Interesting opinions, but not really reflective of public opinion. While I think the majority (including myself) are in favour, there is a very passionate and vocal minority, not all of them smokers, against the ban.
I know a bloke who gave them up around 4 years ago, hasn't touched them since, but will argue until he's blue in the face for smokers' right to smoke in pubs. Something about the encroachment of the nanny state and infringing civil liberties. When I retort that subjecting non-smokers to second hand smoke is also an infringement on one's right to fresh air he says it's selective nonsense and I'm being brainwashed by a media conspiracy!
Maybe I'm brainwashed, but I can't wait.

[Gary]

Onr thing I do find funny about the whole thing is that before the ban was ever sounded out, no one was really that bothered smokers etc, not vocally any how.

Thing is, is see alot of pubs not enforcing it, as the odds of being caught must be veeeeery slim altogether. Only 40 officers nationwide of which at least 7 will be in Dublin and 3 in Cork, 2 Limk & Galway, 2 for waterford/Kilkenny/Wex.

The Gardai cant enforce it, unless a specific complaint is made about it either (I Think). Its certainly going to be an interesting few weeks anyway.

[SÓC]

Ah there was. There's a whole organisation set up to try and ban smoking in public places called Ash.

As for Gardaí they are able to enter pubs on their rounds, like say to look if there are any underage drinkers, dealers, publicians serving to people who had enough etc. I assume they would just nick the smokers whilst doing this.

All they have to do is catch one pub and the rest will toughen up. When Doyles got caught serving underaged drinkers and had to be closed down for a few days all the rest of the pubs in Cork had extra doorstaff etc.