July 22, 2007
London was on red alert after terrorists hit the heart of Great Britain with attempted car bomb attacks in London and a flaming jeep crashing into Glasgow Airport.
Oblivious to this were thousands of smokers puffing away like it was going out of fashion, as they tried to make the most of the final hours of legal smoking in England. Ashtrays spilled over and littered the ground and even staunch non-smokers lit up to bid farewell.
The ramifications of the ban are wide ranging and the new laws vague to say the least. Could a plumber visiting someone’s home refuse to enter the premises if the owner has been smoking? The grey, or cloudy, areas will no doubt cause major problems for those tasked with enforcing the ban.
Contrary to what people think, it is not down to the police. Fines can only be handed out by environmental health officers.
It’s not just public places that will be affected. Work vehicles used by more than one person will also need to be smokefree, unless you are lucky enough to have a convertible - in which case you can smoke when the top is down, but smoking is banned on public transport.
If quitting is too hard, then maybe a career change is in order. Actors can smoke on stage, where the artistic integrity of a performance makes it “appropriate”. But not in rehearsal.
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What if someone has a sneaky cigarette at work? The chances are, you’ll get away with it because the only way someone can be fined is if they are caught red-handed by an environmental health officer.
What’s the worst that could happen? Well, get caught and you’ll be given a fine of £50, reduced to £30 if paid in 15 days. If you don’t pay, or choose to take the matter to court, you can be fined up to £200. If you don’t pay then, you’re in contempt of court and could end up behind bars.
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| Stubbi holder: An ingenious contraption to stop litter on our streets |
But that’s nothing compared to the fines that bar and pub owners will face. A whopping £2,500 - per person - will go up in smoke.
Rod Eslamieh, 30, Owner of The Old Fire Station bar in Brentford, said: “The big problem in the short term is that people naturally light up after a meal. It’s not that they’re ignoring the ban, they’re just not used to it. And it will take time for people to realise, so it’s important that the authorities don’t come down too hard on offenders, at least for a little while.
“We’ve got a cover outside and if you’ve got heaters it helps. It may affect sales, but on the plus side it means that the people who don’t smoke will be more inclined to go out to bars and pubs.
“As a non-smoker, I’m happy because you can’t put a price on your health, and I don’t want to be 60 and lying in a bed with cancer from someone else’s second hand smoke.
“Everyone knows its been coming so people have had time to adjust, and we’re a civilised and modern enough society to get by this. It’s a bit of a revolution, and will mean massive changes for the country. It’s a bit like prohibition, but I think this will last. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if they open up some underground smoking dens.”
The initial advantages from a health point of view are clear, but everything from the social and legal aspects to environmental and logistical implications may not have been properly thought through.
Rod continued: “A big consideration is that the Government have not made the rules clear enough. We were sent a package of stickers that we have to put up on exits and entrances from the council for free. But what happens when the public start complaining about people smoking outside bars late at night, which will annoy the neighbours and cause more public nuisance, with drunk and boisterous people outside causing noise?”
Internet Pharmacy - Buy Pharmacy at reasanoble prices.Internet Pharmacy provides confortable and easy way to order pharmacy via internet.Hounslow Council have been doing their bit by distributing “The Stubbi” (pictured right), which they hope will reduce the amount of litter generated by the ban. The credit card sized wallets have a fire proof pocket for disposing of cigarettes, and hold up to 10 butts. Once full, simply empty the contents and continue filling your lungs with smoke, if you want to that is.
| “I don’t want to be 60 and lying in a bed with cancer from someone else’s second hand smoke” |
| Bar owner Rod Eslamieh |
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Chiswick resident Andrew Farish, has designed a slightly more robust contraption. His Smartbin, aka the “butt-catcher” has been signed up by councils all over Britain. He said: “People are relieved to have somewhere they can put a butt in without setting fire to the bin. Our design had to strike the balance of being noticeable but not overbearing. Plus it’s convenient and practical.
“The environmental issues are horrendous but this will hopefully keep our streets cleaner for longer and help to develop pride in our streets. Not to mention saving the council and public lots of money.”
An inspirational rugby coach used to give my team fantastic halftime talks. “There’s no room for quitters in this team” he would roar at us as we trailed 50-0.
But, as of Sunday, it’s official, England needs more quitters, and without sounding like a radio advert, it has never been easier to quit.
Even Tesco are doing their bit too to help with the introduction a free Stop Smoking Support Service available from the in-store pharmacy at Tesco Extra in Osterley, on Syon Lane, Isleworth.
The service gives you the opportunity to have a private consultation with an expert stop-smoking advisor. They can help you select the right NRT products for your needs, as well as offering you one-to-one support.
You can even pick up free Tesco Quit Kits, containing a helpful guide to giving up, a wall chart to track progress, and a variety of money-off coupons.
West Middlesex Hospital and Hounslow Primary Care Trust (PCT) has already hit its targets this year by helping 1,800 people to quit in the last 12 months.
But there is still plenty of work to be done, and a plethora of services on offer at the West Mid.
Carole Alexander from the Hounslow PCT Stop Smoking Programme explained what’s on offer: “There is a patients a drop in clinic every Wednesday afternoon. People don’t need appointments and can just come along. We offer smokers a six week course to help them stop smoking. At the beginning we look at any medication that might help people quit such as nicotine replacement therapies like patches or gum. We can also help sort out medications like Zyban or Champix which require a GP referral if required. During the following weeks we continue to offer useful tips on how to handle the withdrawal from smoking, making giving up easier and more successful for more people.”
The clinic is held every Wednesday afternoon between 4.45pm - 5.45pm Spare a thought for all the out-of-work ashtrays. They will, quite literally, be crushed by the news that they’ll be homeless as of July 1. Some rather optimistic souls have already starting collecting the discarded butt holders in the hope they will become collectors items in the future.
The benefits of stopping smoking are well documented, with many positive benefits taking only a short time to start.
- After 20 minutes blood pressure and pulse rate return to normal.
- After 8 hours nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in blood reduce by half and oxygen levels return to normal.
- After 24 hours carbon monoxide is eliminated from the body and the lungs begin to clear out mucous and other smoking debris - After 48 hours there is no nicotine left in the body and the ability to taste and smell is greatly improved.
- After 72 hours breathing becomes easier as the bronchial tubes begin to relax and energy levels increase.
- After 2 weeks circulation begins to improve q After 3 months coughs, wheezing and breathing problems improve as lung functions are increased by up to 10 per cent.
- After 5 years the risk of a heart attack falls to about half of that of a smoker.
- After 10 years the risk of lung cancer falls to about half that of a smoker and the risk of heart attack falls to the same as someone who has never smoked.
Posted by toshko under Zyban News | Comments (0)
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