rileyuk.co.uk

Well we had our first smoke free Pub Quiz yesterday and it was great to smell the ozone. I don't think it was any quieter than normal so the argument that Pubs will go under through lack of patronage seems to be wrong. I did not see anyone flaunting the ban either which was good.

We for the first time had the pick of any table we wanted which was nice, the only downside was the acoustics in our corner were worse than normal! lol that is the way it goes I suppose. :D

As a mostly reformed smoker nothing makes me happier than the smoking ban. I can go out for a drink and leave the pub without ripping anybodies lungs out for a cig.

I like the phrase mostly reformed! :D

It is a horrible horrible habit and I wish dearly I had never started. Unfortunately it is rather difficult to break it. I have entered my second week none smoking in the my second period of non-smoking this year. the last one lasted for three months lets hope with the aid of a smoking ban we can make this one permenant.

On sunday morning i was watching the North West Politics Show and they were live in Blackpool where this publican is openly defying the ban on the grounds that he's doing his patrons a favour!!!! well i was apoplectic with infuriation. he couldn't - and i quote - "put them out in the rain". wtf?!

"is that a heart attack you're having sir? oh dear, at least you're nice and dry"

"hair's staying nice and dry, isn't it, love? shame coughing your guts up with emphysema ain't so attractive".

he also claimed that noone had ever died of passive smoking and that was just anti-smoking propaganda! the journalist asked why he was putting his family and bar staff at risk, and he said he would never knowingly do that!!!!!

I'm almost finished with my exam marking now, and one of the sources on the reading paper is a bbc online article that links the rise of the mobile phone with a decline in teenage smoking...can't afford both appararently, and smoking is "old technology". on the second half of the paper there's a writing question where they have to write an article persuading teenagers not to smoke, and they say some very insightful things. like teens supposedly smoke because of the rebellion factor, but when everyone's doing it, how's it rebellious? it made me think, though, all these people are saying how they won't follow the law, and they won't have their civil liberties impinged upon, yet they ALL cow-tow to Sergeant Major Nicotine. What sir? a cigarette, sir? of course sir. What's that sir, i must smoke it immediately? right you are.

where is the f*#@ing defiance in addiction???????

Rant over...aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh.

And I thought my selective memory postings were rant-ish. Smoking is an emotive subject though, so it's probably good we have these forums to vent in.

I don't think that Blackpool landlord will have to worry about it for too much longer, seeing as he's basically inviting inspectors to come round and fine him (as they fine the venue if he's refusing to enforce the ban). He might give up after a few £2500 fines and the possible removal of his license.

The pub was nice smoke-free, although we may have to retreat to our acoustically sound corner next time. Can't say I noticed the sound quality too much, though.

There's an interesting news article on the MEN here. A city centre pub had its air quality inspected before and after the smoking ban. The quality of the air has improved 20 fold since the ban came in...and that publican in Blackpool says he is not knowingly putting his staff and family at risk?

I got rather annoyed the other night while I was wathching TV and the voice over said "Everybody knows how hard it is to quit smoking"

Bollocks

Only people who have tried to or managed to quit smoking know how hard it is. Just like only women who have given birth actually know how painful it is!

I don't know how hard it is and I really, really don't want to find out! :D

It was really nice to get home last night after a evening drinking and NOT stinking like an ashtray. Not only that but all the smokers were outside feeding their addiction in the pouring rain. . . . the evil, sadistic part of me rejoiced in seeing that.

It's great isn't it? A good night in the pub and I don't have to wash everything that I wore to get rid of the stink of stale cigarettes! :D

There is still a sort of lingering "pub" smell on my clothes. Sort of like stale beer, furniture polish and carpet (plus ingrained cigarette smoke) all mixed into one. Delicious.

I imagine that it is not as bad as during the 'smoking years' though. . ..

I wouldn't say it's not as bad a smell, but at least it's nowhere near as strong as the smell of smoke. The smokers on Saturday were pretty impressive in terms of the weather they were willing to stand outside in, I'll give them that.