h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

over hear on the other side of the world the Govt is about to outlaw smoking in bars, restaurants etc (although possibly not RSAs), having already banned it in many other places.

I think this is fab, not because i am a non-smoker and want to punish evil smokers and have all that lovely fresh air just for me, but because people tend to forget that there are people who work in bars etc who cannot actually escape the smoke. they can't just decide not to go to that bar, or to do something else tonight. they work there and they have to breathe it all in - they have to suck it all up, as it were.

but for some reason many people over here seem to think that the govt is banning it because they are predominantly non-smokers themselves (not true - many many MPs smoke) and want to moralise. In fact it's a simple health and safety issue for the workers in those areas.

You will still be able to smoke outside, where the workers aren't forced to inhale your smoke too.

span

Hear hear, if the miners can claim compensation for lung disease then surely a bar worker could too if they got a passive smoking related disease.

Mel

and here's an article from over here about how a bar in the inner city has gone smoke free one night a week and their takings have gone up! also has some info about our forthcoming legislation:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3532583&thesection=news&thesubsection=general&thesecondsubsection=

span

I would choose a non-smoking bar over a smoking one. I think there are many that would make the same choice.

Mel