'Ban smoking in pub gardens' says councillor
A Scottish councillor will go to Parliament this week in a bid to have the smoking ban extended to open-air pub gardens.
Angus councillor Peter Neild wants the ban to cover pub doorways and outside tables.
Neild tried earlier this year to have a ban on tobacco made a condition of licensing outdoor furniture but his own council told him it could not be done under current legislation.
However, Neild, who says children and non-smokers are exposed to smoke outside public places, is now taking his fight to the Scottish Parliament.
His petition will be heard by Holyrood's public petitions committee on Wednesday.
Is this councillor right or is he going too far? Email us by clicking this link - please indicate which story you are responding to.
Your CommentsAlastair Elliott via email 25/09/2006"You have to admire this Gentleman for trying to do something about the English proposed ban, as you can see with this absolutly LUDICRUS Councillers new idea in Scotland it will not just stop at an indoor ban.
If you want to STOP this onslought and bullying now get behind Robert Feal Martinez with the Judicial Review, this is the only realistic way I believe will have a chance of succeeding.
Visit :- http://www.thebigdebate.org for more details. Come and join the fight."
Peter Harvey via email 26/09/2006"What is up with these people who are given a bit of power? MPs, Councillors, etc. Why cant they let the working man & woman get on with living their life how they choose, there's far too much interfering, The Scottish councillor trying to stop smoking in beer gardens must be slightly mad, will we have to put on security to watch outside?.
Don't they know how much harm is being done to our wonderful trade with all these regulations, I really do think the government has lost the plot, why don't they tackle the real issues - Drugs, Immigration, transport and most important so called Binge Drinking caused by Supermarkets and Off licences selling cheep booze, instead of trying (and actually succeeding) to finish off every business in the country. We have nothing left No manufacturing, Farming on its knees, and soon the art of going out and socialising will be forgotten, all because a bunch of doo gooders manipulate their councillors and Mps just like puppets into stupid laws, welcome to nanny state England.
With nothing left only computer jobs Its no wonder people want to leave this country,
Come on Blair do something positive take the running of the country back off these idiots before you go and make England Great once more. He's probably not listening like I'm not voting for labour ever again."
Peter Hamilton via email 26/09.2006"Comment:is this man compleaty mad? does he want to comlpleaty bring this trade to its knees, i am flabbergasted, will he be happy when every every wet led pub is closed. he may as well as ask for a complete ban on pubs. he obviously does not recieve his inc ome from this trade."
Tony Savage via email 26/09/2006"If you have a smoking ban then that's what it should be. Any partial amendments will lead to an inevitable abuse."
Elizabeth Adams via email 26/09/2006"Smoking is disgusting and should be banned outside as well. I agree with the Scottish Councillor who wants pub gardens to be smoke free. Smokers can stay home if they don't like. It's what they keep saying to non-smokers. What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander."
Bill Gibson via email 26/09/2006"Elizabeth...take time to read this link. If you do yoo will find that thereason that Government has given us for the introduction of Smoking Bans simply does not exist http://www.acsh.org/news/newsID.1271/news_detail.asp
What is wrong with having smoking and non-smoking venues with good clear signage at the entrance when we can all make our own choice as to how we lead our lives.
Next will be pub food as there are more carcinogens in a plate of deep fried potatoe chips than is given off in cigarettes and this is a proven fact.."
Belinda via email 26/09/2006"Elizabeth: a total ban is not wanted, not warranted and not enforceable. Smoking may disgust you but it doesn't disgust most of us. Forcing smokers out of public life is no way to achieve a harmonious society. It certainly doesn't deal in any sense with the alleged dangers of so-called passive smoking."
Bil Gibson via email 26/09/2006"Tony...where did you pick this thought from, the ASH manual?
If a partial ban does not work how come it has worked in Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Spain, Italy and Malta as well as many states in the USA including Oregon.
You obviously are worried that the courts will rule in favour of the Judicial Review and allow choice for all."
Chris Broscomb via email 26/09/2006"His complaimt is "children and non-smokers are exposed to smoke outside public places,."
Well whoopy Doo. Had it not been for a lack of joined-up thimking by him and his sort smoking would be where it belongs INSIDE adult venues like pubs.
Their blinkered inadequacy has promoted smoking better than any tobacco company ever could. Many more young people will be attracted to this forbidden fruit. A look at the latest figures from Ireland shows an ever increasing level of smoking now almost at the pre-ban level.
But it must be a success. Only 6 months after the ban in Scotland many hundreds of licensees, hospitality workers and patrons are benefiting from their smoke-free venues that have closed down."
Mandy Vincent via email 26/09.2006"Mr Nields does not own the air (total recall was just a film) he is playing God. He should have no more power over the air than anyone else.
Join the big debate and get these new Gods out of here.
I like a nice cup of coffee with a ciggie,Then later with Bacardi and coke,But after Autumn leaves,I will NOT - stand outside and Freeze,For an evening to relax without a smoke.
I know I'm not alone in my thinking,The difference, may be my choice of drinks,But one thing is for sure, I know their are many more,Even tolerant non-smokers, think this ban just stinks."
J Stewart via email 27/09/2006"Councillor Nield, in wishing to extend the ban on smoking in enclosed spaces to non enclosed spaces, might be suspected, by the more cynical among us, of being on a personal mission to wipe smokers from the face of the earth or, at least, from society. Perhaps he should pause to consider whether children ought to be in pubs at all, given the potential for their exposure to irresponsible, drunken behaviour. In any case, given that the evidence simply does not support the claims of those who insist that passive smoking is a hazardous, tthe health of children and non smokers is undoubtedly endangered more during their journey to the pub. For a thought-provoking report please read "prejudice and Propaganda" which is to be found at forestonline.org."
Blad Tolstoy via email 27/09/2006"Ah, it's pointless talking to people like Nield and his supporters such as Tony Savage and Elizabeth Adams. They're just obsessives fixated on making everyone conform to their view of the world irrespective of other people's interests, damage to businesses and communities an
