No smoking shinks

[ProbablyaCrazyPerson 2]

Hurrah!!

 

 

From today, no smoking on any of the shinkansens.

[gamera 0]

Even no "areas" to smoke?

[BagOfCrisps 24]

That was in the paper here even for some reason.

[its-a-clock 0]

I didn't think it was on ALL the shinks... (?)

[bobby12 0]

I think its just on one shink line, probably osaka-tokyo.

 

This is good progress, looking forward to all trains being 100% non smoking in the next few years.

[YellowSnow 0]

But I am sure you can smell the smoke from the old smoking carriages.

[daver 0]

the buzz is finally on! it seems as though japan has gotten on board with the anti-smoking campaign.

i wonder if the blossoming anti smoking trend has any connection with Japan Tobacco no longer being a government agency?

[bobby12 0]

Progress is still slower than I would like.

 

In London all public places like cafes, bars etc are going to be non-smoking from this summer I heard. Not sure of the exact details.

 

Smoking seems so backward and comical to me now, its like walking around with a goat or chicken in your bag, or pacifier in your mouth.

[rach 1]

Yes still slow.

 

bobby12, I think it is all UK, not just London. Lots of bars are preparing outside areas for smokers - speakers, covered tent like areas.

[YellowSnow 0]

Ireland has been smoke free for the past few years. One of my local pubs knocked down half the roof of its building so technically its outside and people smoke on that side of the bar, there is a bit of a roof left to stop the rain.

 

What is strange in Japan is sometimes they give out free fags on the street as a promotion. Most countries these days cant even advertise fags, and japan gives them out.

[bobby12 0]

I despise smoking, however my friend who is a smoker raised a decent point - can someone make a 'smokers-only' cafe or bar?

 

Of course the simple answer is 'no' - but on principle it doesn't seem so unreasonable.

[YellowSnow 0]

The reason is that workers should be able to work in a non smoking environment and should not have to be forced to be in that environment because of the need for work.

 

You could propose that they could accept a smoking enviroment in their contracts, so smokers would be working in the smoking section.

 

But in real life you are always pressured into working where and when you don't really want. The more you let slip the easier it is for the management to walk over you. I am all for personal liberty, but I do support a smoking ban in the workplace.

 

If I ran a country I would ban normal tobacco faster than the `wacky backy`.

[bobby12 0]

Ideally yes, but then you lose tax (VAT) money. I'm sure this is the reason it wasn't banned decades ago.

 

The UK has a free health system which is maybe why its taking the initiative. Japan on the other hand seems to have quite a corrupt healthcare system from what I can see (making you visit multiple times, getting 'paid' by your insurance company to go to hospital so you are happy to comply etc).

[keba 0]

As a cardiologist, I get to see plenty of the health effects of smoking, and I think efforts to restrict the places that people (who choose not to smoke) are exposed to passive smoke are laudable.

 

The problem with banning smoking altogether is not just that the government loses the tax revenue (which actually exceeds the healthcare costs of smoking-related disease, and we are talking about large amounts here), but that, like prohibition in the 1920's, it places all the revenue in the hands of organised crime. If you ban smoking, people will still smoke, they'll just turn to the black market, like users of drugs which are currently illegal.

[charlotte 0]

 Quote:

The UK has a free health system which is maybe why its taking the initiative

Is is really? Is that the one where people can wait a year to see a doctor?

[echineko 1]

I'm so glad about it. Sometimes shinkansen is full and only smoking room has space but it is so smelly and like fog air.

[brit-gob 9]

 Quote:

Is that the one where people can wait a year to see a doctor?

Thats the one. The free system that frustrates so many people that a large number pay for treatment.

[66jzmstr 0]

We've had no public smoking here in Seattle for a few years now and I absolutely love it. I can now see my favorite bands live and come home not smelling like a chimney sweep.

 

As for keba's comments, the ban (at least here) is on smoking in public places, so cigarettes are still being sold, but perhaps a little less than before. People can still smoke in their homes, cars and also outside as long as it's x meters away from buildings.

[keba 0]

Same in most places in Australia now, 66. I was referring to those who would have tobacco made illegal, which would be very impracticable.

[bobby12 0]

A lot of people in London at least use the black market to buy cigs even now, theres eastern europeans on every corner flogging them.

 

Regarding UKs crappy health system, well this is one of the reasons I left UK. Being forced to pay so much tax for stuff you dont want. I prefer pay as you go as it is generally in Japan.