21 reactions to the proposed smoking ban that will light up your world
As you’ll be aware, Keir Starmer hopes to introduce a bill to ban smoking in the area just outside buildings such as pubs and restaurants, as well as a few other outdoor spaces.
WATCH: Keir Starmer confirms he's considering banning smoking in some outside areas
"My starting point on this is to remind everyone that over 80,000 people lose their lives every year because of smoking. That's a preventable death… so yes, we are going to take decisions" https://t.co/K9BIRcVe2r pic.twitter.com/HYPWKHp6eO
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) August 29, 2024
Breaking:
Keir Starmer confirms to me for the pool in Paris that the government is looking at banning smoking in some outdoor spaces such as pub gardens, as per @JackElsom scoop
— Henry Zeffman (@hzeffman) August 29, 2024
Some people are very much in favour.
Unpopular opinion but I agree with Starmers plans to ban smoking in outdoor restaurants etc. I feel nauseas and unwell if I’m having a drink or eating a meal al fresco and the table next to me are chain smoking and blowing their cigarette smoke my way. So icky and unpleasant.
— Iona Fyfe (@ionafyfe) August 29, 2024
Good news – good for the #NHS & good for everyone’s health.
Smoking killsFWIW – I’m a former Public Health Minister and ex smoker https://t.co/d5RQaIqV9p
— Anna Soubry (@Anna_Soubry) August 29, 2024
Others – smokers and non-smokers – are completely incensed. Nigel Farage even went so far as to stage a protest smoke.
Today’s news is more evidence that Labour hates freedom.
This isn’t about people’s health. It’s about social control.
— Conservatives (@Conservatives) August 29, 2024
Keir Starmer needs to go to a club smoking area and have a life changing conversation with a drunk girl about her ex and then get off with a random so he knows what he's taking away from us. this is culture. this is britain.
— ️ (@carbdiem) August 29, 2024
Banning smoking in an outside space is the worst kind of prurient, hectoring, interfering, puritanical bullshit. No health basis to it whatsoever. Just a flat-out act of social control.
— Ian Dunt (@IanDunt) August 29, 2024
A swift poll suggested that there’s broad support for the policy, apart from with Reform voters.
Interesting that @YouGov polling on the proposed outdoor smoking ban doesn't only find majority support overall, but this is the case for *all* gender/age/social class/voting groups apart from Reform voters, where 41% support and 54% oppose. 58% of Tory voters back the idea. pic.twitter.com/9PHVMP1npT
— Peter Walker (@peterwalker99) August 29, 2024
Both camps, and those on the fence, have been sharing their thoughts.
1.
“What is the charge? Smoking a cigarette? A succulent outdoor cigarette? pic.twitter.com/Okhhen0FdE
— Benedict Spence (@BenedictSpence) August 29, 2024
2.
Walking into a beer garden after the smoking ban.pic.twitter.com/Dkxb5zTH3p
— . (@punniebugger) August 29, 2024
3.
Holding a protest outside of downing street by dressing up a bunch of kids as Serge Gainsbourg smoking pic.twitter.com/9YZhU4NOqL
— H.K (@HKesvani) August 29, 2024
4.
If Starmer banning smoking means that I can walk into any pub with a cast-iron guarantee that Nigel Farage won't ever be in there too… I'M IN! pic.twitter.com/BwQ0CTu4Zz
— Femi (@Femi_Sorry) August 29, 2024
5.
wait til you find out which party initiated legislation to ban smoking for *everyone* under a certain age https://t.co/OU9lmwsiIP
— Jim Pickard (@PickardJE) August 29, 2024
6.
Unpopular opinion but I agree with Starmers plans to ban smoking in outdoor restaurants etc. I feel nauseas and unwell if I’m having a drink or eating a meal al fresco and the table next to me are chain smoking and blowing their cigarette smoke my way. So icky and unpleasant.
— Iona Fyfe (@ionafyfe) August 29, 2024
7.
Smoking has been steadily declining in the UK for decades and will likely soon be <10% of all adults.
Hard to take seriously the hospitality lobbyists claiming that a beer garden ban would have anything other than a very marginal impact on the industry pic.twitter.com/1fnxmcUVrI
— Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) August 29, 2024
8.
As smoking is trending here's a picture of the coolest person on earth who ever sparked up a gasper pic.twitter.com/ECE8vFmND2
— Goon Pod (@goonshowpod) August 29, 2024
9.
Maybe instead you can ban vaping indoors. Sick of being sat somewhere minding my own business while some fully grown man blows blueberry candy bubblegum flavoured shit in my face. https://t.co/V6CvRTlMVb
— Freddy Quinne (@FreddyQuinne) August 29, 2024
10.
Your smoker mate across the street watching you all in the beer garden https://t.co/4OHadBVc07 pic.twitter.com/GYmfmbS5r5
— Grace (@graceyldn) August 29, 2024
11.
If they want to sell the outdoor smoking ban, they should do it on the basis of smoking killing people, and only that. Not on people sitting nearby finding the smell annoying. Your voice is also annoying. We cope.
— Hugo Rifkind (@hugorifkind) August 29, 2024