So we'll go no more a-smoking

The cultural power of the United States is strong, indeed it is almost overwhelming. How likely would it be that the rash of smoking bans now popping up all over Europe had been introduced had it not been for the Americans blazing the trail in advance? Europe is not so anti-American as many like to think.

So it is that all parts of the UK will now ban smoking in all public places. It's not the first time I've touched on this issue. In principle, it saddens me that society now looks more and more to the state to ensure its own wellbeing, as if we as individuals were somehow unable to make good decisions for ourselves without some outside force directing our pathetic hands.

But this concern is, unfortunately, outweighed by experience. Pubs and bars in New York are, for the most part, pale reflections of their British counterparts (at least in the eyes of this exiled Brit). But for one thing. Their smoke-free environment is just a joy. And in this, my selfish needs as a punter trump my principled, or not so principled, belief in personal freedom.

Roll on 2007, when British pubs will become even more magical places to spend an evening. But, now that this ban is in place, can we have no more nannying, please? As they say here: Enough already.

Comments

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[dearieme]

Now would y'all like to blaze a trail by banning the playing of recorded music in pubs, please?

[Shuggy]

So you like smoke-free pubs. I'm in favour of smoke-free pubs too - but I'm also in favour of smoking pubs and can't think of a single good reason why they can't co-exist in a country as large as the United States. I agree this is an American import. It's a regrettable one. You simply cannot celebrate the fact that the state hath decreed all pubs everywhere should conform to what non-smokers want and call yourself a liberal. What's the point of saying "enough nannying already"? It's too late - because so many 'liberals' have been supporting it hitherto. Let's get the plebs to stop smoking and smacking their children - it's for their own good. It's the old "forced-to-be-free" problem in liberalism rearing it's head again.

[The Digester]

Apparently Blair is considering alllowing parents to smack their children in a pub if it serves food.

[Chris Cullen]

I assume that smoking cannabis will be OK?

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So you like smoke-free pubs. I'm in favour of smoke-free pubs too - but I'm also in favour of smoking pubs and can't think of a single good reason why they can't co-exist in a country as large as the United States. I agree this is an American import. It's a regrettable one. You simply cannot celebrate the fact that the state hath decreed all pubs everywhere should conform to what non-smokers want and call yourself a liberal. What's the point of saying "enough nannying already"? It's too late - because so many 'liberals' have been supporting it hitherto. Let's get the plebs to stop smoking and smacking their children - it's for their own good. It's the old "forced-to-be-free" problem in liberalism rearing it's head again.

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