Smoking in parks: councils threaten zero tolerance
Sunday, August 7, 2011 at 10:45 The Sunday Times reports, on its front page, 'Smoking to be banned in parks'.
There is no mention of smoking outside being a threat to the health of non-smokers, including children. Instead, a ban is justified for the following reasons:
1. "It is getting to a stage where people think it is socially unacceptable in parks" (Bill Wearing, head of Cumbria council's health and well-being [sic] committee, who adds: "Nobody wants to see anyone smoking near children's play areas." Nobody? I wouldn't encourage it but I don't see the big deal, and I certainly wouldn't ban it or fine someone for it.).
2. In parts of Britain one in three people still smoke. (Implication: we are going to make it as difficult as possible to light up so people are forced to quit whether they like it or not.)
3. "Siblings and parents are role models for children. If a child's parents smoke, they are three times more likely to smoke themselves." (Smokefree South West)
As it happens, Forest was contacted by the Sunday Times for a quote. I made a number of points, among them:
"No reason to ban smoking in parks ... no health risk to other people ... tobacco is a legal product ... if adults are role models what about parents who are obese or drink alcohol in front of their children – should that be banned too?
In the event my comments were distilled into this short sentence:
A spokesman for Forest, the smokers' lobby group, said: "It is a completely unnecessary intrusion into people's lives."
PS. Should you choose to respond by writing a letter for publication (strongly recommended), the email address is: letters@sunday-times.co.uk.
The more letters the better but keep them short and sharp, and remember – the Sunday Times is not the enemy so don't criticise the paper. Stick to the issues.
Reader Comments (9)
When I read the article in the Times this morning, I immediately said to my wife, what the hell is wrong with Simon, only saying that? Frances, as usual, pointed out to me that Simon had almost certainly said much more than that, and sure enough Simon, you had, so sorry for doubting you!!!
But to get back to the issue in question; what can I say? It is preposterous to say the least, but just saying how bad it is and how silly it is, and how wrong it is, isn't going to help us. These councils, just like Stony Stratford, use "children" in their wording, and who amongst us, or anyone come to that, is going to say they agree with harming children?
OK we know it will not harm them, but so many people don't, and those people are the ones who believe everything they read, an in turn will see us, the smokers, as evil child killers - they will even start to put us on the same level as paedophiles.
One thing I did think of, was instead of keeping up our constant argument about how harmless second-hand tobacco smoke is, and even more so, out in the open, maybe we should be agreeing with these councils and saying yes, we must all protect the children, but this one small step regarding smoking isn't enough. These councils, if they are serious about protecting the children, should also ban all motor vehicles in streets and roads where there are schools and hospitals, as it simply isn't fair on our children to have to breath all those fumes in is it?
We all know that this would be impossible to enforce, and if they won't do this, then it would prove beyond a doubt that their anti-smoking policies are nothing more than the simple dislike of smoking and nothing whatsoever to do with saving children.
Why do we need a Government when councils can make their own laws?
AFIK they can not use a 'bill' to do this, they must at least wait until it is an 'Act'. Since councils are threatening to do this, was this what was intended to happen by HMG?
Will councils go futher and insist tenants are non-smokers or people who smoke will be forbidden from smoking within their houses? This localism thing seems very worying, have HMG thought it through? When will these powers be available?
Clearly councils can make bye-laws but these seem fairly minor in comparison to completely overriding parliamentary law. If HMG intended for smoking to be banned in the outdoors they would have done it. How is it this issue can be handed to councils who would be effectively making up the law as they go.
What can be done?
Yep – they distilled your response into nine little words. Don’t tell me, there isn’t enough room in the paper to print a decent quote right?
Why bother – next time I suggest you tell them you will only give them a decent quote of your own choosing or just forget it in future. Forest doesn’t need this crap.
PS When I tried to preview my comment it disappeared.
The Daily Mail is running a story of another council. You can comment here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2023386/Stubbing-Councils-health-chiefs-ban-smoking-parks.html
What continuously seems to be overlooked is that legal substances are blamed for a host of damage, but the tax revenue from these things is funding the NHS and more. They are not a drain on tax payers money but fund a huge amount. Other, much more harmful chemicals are breathed in by anyone walking outside their home unless they're lucky enough to live in a smog free environment. Throw your toys out of the pram, cut your nose off, but mainly look at those in power who do all these things whilst damming the rest of us looking in safety below from their ivory towers ;)
Chas: Doesn't seem to be too popular an idea judging by the comments and arrows. Still, since when did that stop them. Stony Stratford would, no doubt, have voted for Bartlett's lunacy had not 150 people turned up.
See, it's SHS, purely SHS. That's what has to be revisited.
There is now a piece on Conservativehome about it should you want to comment.
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/localgovernment/2011/08/councils-propose-smoking-bans-in-parks.html
How the heck to you register to leave a comment on the conservativehome blog?
I have not used Facebook for years, so if I still have an account I have no idea what the logon details are! It seems impossible to sign up in any other way as whatever I try it reverts to Facebook login and even trying that it doesn't work and the error message offering help through contact us seems useless!
Always happens when I am running out of time before getting ready for work!