A simple question

Thinking about my last post during my morning ablutions, a simple question occurred to me (and before lunch simple questions really are all I can manage). I know it’s been asked before but I think it’s worth asking again: If tobacco and alcohol are so dangerous why aren’t the anti smoking/drinking campaigns asking for them to be banned? Seriously think about it, none of the pressure groups that claim that smoke and drink are destroying lives, wrecking society and killing thousands of people a year at extreme cost to the NHS are actually asking for them to be banned. If … Continue reading

Smoke signals

Whilst I still posses my doubts and a certain cynicism towards the new government e-petitions site I figure that it can’t hurt to try it. If nothing else it gives them another thing to ignore and us another thing to point at and say “look you’re ignoring us” – one day this might achieve something. However in the meantime Dick Puddlecote has brought to my attention a petition to “review the smoking ban“, not repeal just you know maybe see if it could be relaxed a bit. It’s even support by Anthony Worrall Thompson so it’s got celebrity kudos and … Continue reading

How to bring back smoking in pubs?

An article in the register the other day has given me an idea as to how one might bring back smoking in pubs without any need for a change in the law. The article reports that an American bar has gone self service by use of RFID cards (contactless payment cards) and flow control pumps. So tap the pump with your card and it will let you dispense so much beer. Now sadly this won’t work for real ale but what I can’t help but wondering is this. If no one is in the pub working because it’s entirely self … Continue reading