But this was rejected by the local Gov. under pressure from the quit line assoc. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/disagree.gif" alt="" />
Anyway thats my problem with these over the top measures, all is well and willing but Jack boot tactics will only increase the idea of Big Brother.
Hello Mea, another West Aussie here,
My wife is a wicked bureaucrat who works in the policy and planning area of the West Australian Government Health Department, so I asked her what she thought.
She said that although it might seem rather "Jackbootish" that it was driven largely by issues of public health and also legal liabilities for staff and other patrons who are subjected to ‘passive smoking’ from other people’s cigarettes. Both industrially and privately, ‘Health and safety’ issues seem to be a much bigger deal than they used to be. She is not involved in the smoking issue herself but confirmed that the people who are driving it are pretty zealous in their pursuit of a wider non-smoking environment.
Her own opinion was that outright bans on things are not generally a good way to go (e.g. it hasn’t achieved much in the drugs area) but that providing designated smoking areas and offering positive incentives for people to not smoke was a fairer and better strategy.
My wife and I are both non-smokers and would prefer no smokers around when we’re eating. However, she finds it OK in outside eating areas. I dislike being around smoking, even in al fresco areas so I simply don’t go to such places. My choice. Restaurants lose my business, but perhaps gain someone else’s. OK by me.
Smokers mostly didn’t stop flying when it was banned on our planes so I don’t imagine that they’d stop eating out if it was restricted more in that environment, but who knows?
I can’t help noticing that Mea Culpa means "an acknowledgment of guilt" – literally Latin for "my fault" – does that reflect your attitude to your own smoking?? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />
Time for me to shut up and watch the AFL Grand Final… <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/party.gif" alt="" />
