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

A good piece

You might mention the end of the age-old custom of having to say "table for two, *non*-smoking" when entering a restaurant.

"The front doors (and back doors) of pubs, office buildings, hospitals, schools, government buildings - in fact just about any building - were soon conspicuous with smokers."

As an aside, the Norwich Union (sorry, 'Aviva') building in Norwich had smokers outside on the street long before the smoking ban arrived.

Alex

Similar ban in effect here - which is very convenient when working on collaborative uni projects; the only way to keep my clothes from stinking like smoke within minutes with the one group is to suggest we meet at a café rather than someone's house

Speaking of "effect" - you don't want nitpicks, but the effect/affect thing is rarely caught. So take another look at footnote 4, "However, there were concerns over how the inhalation of nicotine vapour effected the 'smoker'."

"Affect" as a verb is "to have an effect on" - confusing, but that's the way it is. "Effect", as a verb, is "to cause, to bring about". So unless you're saying that inhalation of the vapour (secondhand vapour?) makes more people *start* smoking, you'll need to change it.

Thanks both, I might incorporate the restaurant thing, I still think about where to sit when we go out...

Thanks Mala, I always miss stuff in footnotes, I'll check my other ones too!

A46345502 - The English Smoking Ban of 2007

For the benefit of finding the Entry.

Well written, informative and definitely aimed at a subject people get emotional about.

I'd never heard of e-cigarettes! And as for the demise of the English pub, haven't we seen the rise of the English pub-that-serves-food?

There were a couple of sentences I thought a bit odd.
*"front doors were conspicuous with smokers" sounds as if they were hanging off the door! How about 'because of the smokers'?
*In the sentence beginning "The NHS", I'm not sure that "psychiatric unit" is in the right place.

Thank you very much mvp

I think I've addressed your points, and it reads a whole lot better now

A good read - I'm one of those who manged to kick the evil habit with the help of the ban: A Christmas dinner in 3 degrees below zero Scotland and a backless dress does not make popping outside for a fag much fun!

I'm reminded of the old comment on retaurants in Greece, where your choice of table is smoking or chain-smoking.

"Smoking bans are brought about, for the most part, with one major reason in mind; health."

Shouldn't that be a colon, not a semi-colon?

"Complementary bans helped enforce the planned smoking ban, such as that of stopping tobacco companies advertising, ensuring the addition of 'graphic' warning labels on tobacco-based products, and altering the age limits on the purchasing of tobacco products, coupled with a nationwide crack-down on tobacco smuggling also."

Bit of an epic sentence there Matt!

I think it would be helpful, if you could find them, to include stats about how many English people smoked before (and, if possible, after) the ban. This reads at times like the majority of the population smoked and I can't believe that was the case. I also think you over-emphasise the demise of the pub in the last bit. I know some pubs struggled, maybe even went under, as a result, but I don't think pubs as we knew them are dead, just slightly different.

Good job.

Thanks E, I've updated again, added some links that might be of interest, but I do like my last paragraph and the way it reads so not sure I want to change it...

Okay, I've changed it

And added some more statistics, just for you

You spoil me.

Yeah, well don't go expecting chocolate cake or nuffink, alright?

Well in that case... *flounces off, nose in the air*.

Nice mincing chuk

Excellent. Great job

It's got everything it needs and at this point I can't help but think that what would really put it over the top is to have a couple of quotes - one from inside a pub, and one from the gauntlet outside.

Of course this would require actually going to a pub - but you are a researcher after all and so I'm afraid it really is your duty.

Dammit. I simply hate going to the pub. But in the interests of research, I guess I'd best. *sigh*

The things you guys force me to do

*psst* How do those quotes grab ya pails?

Just so!

Puts it right over the top

Interesting and valuable Entry Matt .

A quote you might like to use: '

'Giving up smking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I've done it thousands of times'.' Mark Twain.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that just one cigarette is potentially addictive, which is why it's important to prevent children, whose brains are still developing, ever starting.

The effect of the smoking ban on public houses works both ways. As a non-smoker I wasn't particularly aware of this so, when I was working and living away from home for two years and able to visit the pub a couple of times a week (my favourite was A25323527), I was surprised to see loads of people outside smoking.

When I began to talk to people and to overhear convos it was amazing how positive people were about it, even the smokers. They were saying things like, althoug they enjoy a smoke, they don't enjoy inhaling second hand smoke. Others were saying that they'd like to give up but, when they're with friends in the pub, it's difficult to have the will-power to refuse a fag. Having to go outside made it easier. Also, many of them were preferring to stay inside the pub not smoking, than to go out into the cold. Also I met several people who started coming out to the pub because of the more pleasant smoke-free atmosphere.

Some facts:

Cigarette smoke is made up of 3000-4000 different chemicals, including cyandides!
Smoking is THE single greatest cause of preventable illness and premature death in the UK. More than 120,000 people die each year from smoking-related illnesses, including lung cancer and heart disease. Doctors have seen a 20% rise in female lung cancer deaths in the past two decades, reflecting changing smoking habits.

The British Standing Committee on Cancer first reported that there was a definite link with smoking on 12/02/1954 (That would be a date to put into the hootoo calender!)

Smoking + x + y = cancer, where x and y are environmental factors, dietary, genetic influence. So it's a 'multi-hit' scenario'.

In all countries where data is available, cigarettes are THE leading cause of fire deaths. In the USA alone, 1000 people/year are killed in smoking-related fires. One-third of these are not the smoker responsible!

A report in New Scientist in 2005 said that 'Smokers are putting more than their lungs and arteries at risk; ALL tissues suffer harm'. The US Surgeon General, Richard H. Carmona (quoted in the New York Times) lists dozens of diseases that are linked to the use of tobacco, including pneumonia, leukaemia, cataracts, gum disease and cancers of the kidney, cervix, stomach and pancreas. He says that 'Toxins from cigarette smoke go everywhere that blood flows. For those who think they can avoid harm by swithing to lower tar and nicotine, there is no safe cigarette, whether it's called 'light', 'ultra-light' or any other name. Smokers usually die 13 to 14 years earlier than non-smokers. Smoking causes disease in nearly every organ of the body at every stage of life'.


A

Thank you both

Al, much of that information is fascinating, but not 'really' pertinent to this particular Entry, and I have mentioned some of those factors, or at least linked to sites where that information is available.