Thursday
Jun302011
More spin and bluster from ASH
Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 19:03 Today I've been brainstorming in a rather beautiful part of the country.
Just got home and what do I find? Like her colleague Martin Dockrell last week, Amanda Sandford of ASH has written an article for the leading left-wing blog Left Foot Forward: Happy smoking ban day everybody! Don’t believe big tobacco’s corporate spin
You may wish to comment.
Earlier today ASH issued this press release. I think we may have ruffled some feathers.
Reader Comments (13)
They should have come yesterday and spoke to all the pub and club owners and all the ladies and gents from the CIU.
NOT IN MY NAME! Ash does not represent smokers but anti-smokers and smokerphobes. As a smoker I know that Forest, Forces, F2C, and TICAP represent me. Another classic case of the media not listening to smokers themselves by not even questioning who ASH represents.
Amanda Sandford clearly lives in a land of make believe.
The comment I left at Left Foot Forward is shown below. I doubt it will pass moderation!
Your comment is awaiting approval
I quote the final sentence in the article above:
“The British public are enjoying the benefits of smokefree drinking and dining and there is little appetite for a return to the bad old days of smoke-filled pubs.”
Permit me to introduce you to the “Smoky-Drinky” phenomenon.
A smoky-drinky is a gathering of like-minded people who meet in PRIVATE premises, bringing with them their own choice of drinks to consume. They drink and SMOKE and converse in a convivial atmosphere so lacking in the moribund public houses nearby.
The informal group with which I associate now has the use of a fairly large PRIVATE indoor space where we used to meet together once a week or so. The informal group has become so popular that one can now drop in (bringing one’s own drink, of course) on any evening and be assured of some fine company not one of whom objects to SMOKING indoors.
There is no formal organisation involved, we are all acknowledged friends of the owner of the PRIVATE space and we all delight in making a mockery of the smoking ban in pubs.
To my certain knowledge the concept of “Smoky-Drinkys” is spreading far and wide quite spontaneously! Long may it continue to do so, and long may it continue to make a complete mockery of the fatuous figures given in the above article.
Comment by Stephen Brown on June 30, 2011 at 9:56 pm
Amanda Sandford is just another money grabbing pen pusher.who enjoys the wealth from donations and goverment handouts to keep herself and her cronies in highly paid jobs at the taxpayers expense she must be a sad old sod who sits at home drinking her posh wine and reading a book.so sad.
I have pity for the old folk who have lived through and fought for freedom.what freedom.
They are now having to stand in all weather just to enjoy a cigarette or sit in some retirement home waiting for the end. I KNOW WHAT WINSTON CHURCHILL WOULD DO WITH HIS CIGAR IF HE WAS STILL AROUND.AND TOLD HE COULD NOT SMOKE IT.
Amanda Sandford.is your middle name sandra or sarah. Then your initials would be right ASS
Stephen Brown
Your comment has been published.
12 comments so far, all from pro-smokers. Love it!
Here are some polls pre and post ban that beg to differ.
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/latestnews/Capital-bucks-trend-on-total.2487734.jp
52% against smoking ban in Edinburgh. Paid for by Nicotinel who would gain from people giving up.
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2009/08/58-of-tory-members-support-relaxation-of-smoking-ban.html#tp
58% of Tories want the ban amended for all pubs
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/.a/6a00d83451b31c69e20120a7d1a66b970b-pi
73% of Tories want smoking ban relaxed in private members clubs.
28 Jul 2004
More than 80 percent of pub customers in Wales are opposed to a complete ban on smoking in pubs according to a survey carried out for leading independent brewer, pubs and drinks company SA Brain & Co Ltd.
The independent survey of nearly 1,400 customers and staff found that only 19 percent of customers and 12 percent of staff support a total ban on smoking in pubs. There was, however, more widespread support for the provision of no smoking areas for eating and at the bar.
Around 42 percent of customers agreed that no smoking should be the policy in eating areas of the pub. Twenty-two and a half percent support banning smoking at the bar at 22.5 percent and 23 percent of customers said that they would spend more time in the pub if changes to the smoking policy were made. Around 83 percent said that the level of smoke was not a problem in the pub in which they were interviewed.
Of the total number of customers surveyed, 41 percent were smokers.
Retail director for SA Brain & Co Ltd, Philip Lay, said
http://www.sabrain.com/index.cfm?UUID=FFD5C6A8-2B30-CFB5-B7D7FD7905913320
Alas the information has been taken down but that is what it said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6464521.stm
74% want exemptions to the smoking ban
“Three quarters of people in Scotland believe there should be exemptions to the smoking ban, a poll has suggested. The Populus survey, for the pro-smoking group Forest, revealed 74% of 1,004 people surveyed thought private clubs should be allowed smoking rooms.
Remember this from ASH?
'Smoking bans are good for business. Study shows hospitality industry fears of falls in trade are unfounded.
Tuesday 25 February 2003
ASH news release: Embargo: 00.01 25 February 2003
Official - smoking bans are good for business. ASH accuses hospitality industry of "crying wolf".
If, as Arnott claims in the press release, "there is little appetite for a return to the bad old days of smoky pubs”, then any pub that allowed smoking would be doomed to failure. Why not prove this claim by letting a few try it?
Well, ASH had their say-now here is the truth!
http://freedom-2-choose.blogspot.com/2011/07/sad-truth-behind-lies-4-years-on.html
Good piece Phil.
. We do not attack smokers or condemn smoking.
THIS STATEMENT IS ON THE ASH SITE. SO WHY DON'T THEY KEEP THEIR MOUTHS SHUT. MONEY .MONEY.MONEY. TOO MANY MONEY GRABBING CHIEFS.
I COULD DONATE TO ASH.BUT I DON'T THINK THEY WOULD APPRECIATE WHAT I WOULD GIVE THEM. I DO THEM MOST DAYS IN THE TOILET.