I second that notion Rik, if you know that you're so "left side" oppose to smoking then why make a thread if you know you're going to argue. Foremost passed the simple issue. I have great respect for howards, although I've only been here 6 months, he's helped me often, and countless others, smoking or non smoking users btw.

I won`t disagree with you there mate.

However, here in the UK a ban on smoking in enclosed public places was introduced on the 1/7/07. I`m not going to disagree with that either.

However, one complaint I`ve heard from a couple of non smokers is that now there`s no smell of smoke in the pub, all you can smell is peoples body odour lol. Another complaint is that the pubs and bars are empty cause nearly every ones out side puffing away lol.

Regards Howard

I smoke, and I hate myself for it ...
I'm totally against corporate fatcats and here I am, supporting them!

It's a part of me now ... OH GOD HELP ME!

Wow! Since my post, I'd been away for awhile doing "life" things which were keeping me very busy and still do. This topic really took off a bit. Sorry if I offended the OP in any way with my lack of response to his question. I'd smoked a couple packs a day from the age of 17 until about 43 (11 years ago).

The reason I stated that I hoped I'd quit soon enough is because emphysema and COPD can crop up decades later in smokers...even after they'd quit. My mother passed away last year from that disease...and slowly suffocating is no way to die..believe me. I watched it happen....and I sure as hell don't want it to happen to me.

I'm happy I've quit....hopefully, it added many more years for me to enjoy my children (and hopefully, grandchildren) but everybody has the perfect right to decide their own lives, as long as they're not infringing on the lives of others. It just saddens me to see it, is all.

Howard, understand that some people...because of things that may have happened to loved ones, can sometimes be very vehement about things. That's where the anger comes in. But, I'm sure deep down, you realize that people only want to see the best for you.

Damn, this is about the most wind I've had in a long time. See, it's working already!!!

I find the odour of cigars very errmmm... nasty. Well first of all im asmatic so i cant stand the stuff.

Howard, i apologise for insulting you like that,i guess i was just having one of those days.( a bad one)
Howard, can you please edit or delete the post err...flaming me back. (no offence)
I guess i was just a little surprized that my biggest idol smokes. reply soon

absolutely. cigars are one of the little pleasures in life and I cannot stand anti-smoking nazis. I will not patronize a restaurant, casino, or club that outright forbids smoking. I never smoke in a restaurant (my wife does and enjoys her cigarettes), occasionally in a bar, and often in a casino.

I can understand people who might like it and I try to be polite about, but I ask they respect my rights as well.

If you're going to ban smoking, ban other offensive behaviors like saggy pants with buttcrack showing, midriffs, butts with slvt stamps (tattoos), loud music, body piercings, and morbid obesity

God Of Mana:

I accept your apology and as far as I`m concerned it`s over and done with.

I have deleted the posts concerned as per your request.

Regards Howard

Thanks , Im gonna delete (or edit) mine.
Was having trouble replying because someone banned me for a while.
(till 01/10/07 At 10:00pm)

You were never banned at any stage. so I don`t know what makes you think that.

Regards Howard

Holy crap, that's a crapload

I know people who smoke alot but 40 a day... that's alot :|

NO really! I was! When I logged in, a VBulleten thing came up and said(well wrote): You have been banned from Techspot
Reason for ban: None
Ban will be lifted: 10/01/07 10;00pm.

Man I knew I should've taken a screenie....

New reason for ban: You said "screenie"

yes. At least 12.5 grams baccy a day and i would smoke 30 tailormade could i afford it. Smoking is cool, thats why i started it, thats why we all started. p.s. no arguements, smoking is cool and if you dont think so your an ex smoker who is deluding themseves or you dont have any style. as for women tell me a parisian girl with a gap in her front teeth smoking a gauloise isnt both cool and sexy.................even better if you smoke yourself you dont smell her turd breath when you have succeded in seducing her.

I do see what you are saying, but those behaviors do not directly cause physical harm to other people, whereas second hand smoke does. If someone chooses to smoke, drink, do meth, whatever, i could care less, as long as you dont harm others in the process.

They have banned smoking in resturants of some cities around where I live. I hope it doesn't become more widespread (it will).

Last Friday I went to dinner with my sister and the place was packed, we told the hostess that we didn't have a smoking preference and they seated us in non-smoking (neither of us smoke). The problem with that is we sat in an area that had 5 kids easily within bread roll throwing distance of a 5 year old, and each of the 5 at some point went into a screaming fit. My guess is most new parents (at least those taking their kids to a fairly nice resturant) would be so paranoid of second hand smoke that they would always request non-smoking section. So in order to avoid kids, I think I'm going to start explicitly requesting smoking whenever possible.

I'd much rather see screaming kids banned from public places than smoking.

Great post SNGX, had me rolling around the floor in fits of laughter.

Unfortunately, we no longer have a choice here in the UK. Our nanny state government has banned smoking in all enclosed public spaces. This even extends to bus shelters where the wind howls through lol.

Regards Howard

Well, to avoid raising anyone's ire I will just say that I have never smoked and never will. Years ago my Dad had a car accident that broke some ribs and punctured a lung. He had a drain put in to drain the fluid from his lungs while it healed. Lets just say that the stuff coming out was so disgusting that I get queasy 14 years later!

Minnesota had a law go into effect on Oct. 1, 2007 that pretty much bans smoking in any public place (bars, restaraunts, etc...). Also, didn't England just ban smoking in cars or while driving?

i think they want to ban lighting up whilst driving (which is fair enough imho, it takes your attention from the road) but i constantly get confused on the "in your car" thing was banned, i see people do it so maybe it wasn't, i'm not sure

they have banned it in public places (as howard said) which does indeed include bus stops but if you're moving it's ok apparently. someone i know was stood at a bus shelter and was the only one there and some police pulled up and told him he wasn't allowed to smoke there. he said he was the only person but they were having none of it and said it was ok if he was walking or something so he started pacing backwards and forwards a couple of steps and they said it was ok

personally i think the lighting up in a car ban is a good idea from my experience little over a year ago (i think howard knows about this) basically there was a very nasty car crash (we don't call it an accident because it wasn't) where a speeding drunk driver hit us because she tried to light up whilst going round a corner

made me chuckle that did

Something similar happen to me, but he dropped his lighter instead and went down to pick it up and ran a red light

Grandfather did basically the same thing with me in the car wilst he was smoking. He tried to throw a cig out the window while we were going around a bend in the road. Wind blew it back in and not thinking he reached down to grab it. I had been reading at the time, but looked up when I felt us hit the curb in time to see us wipeout a sign that alerted drivers to the bend!