The other side of the smoking ban (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

The other side of the smoking ban

12:10pm Tuesday 20th May 2008

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When I first heard about the national smoking ban, I was delighted. No longer would I have to avoid the Sunday night pub quiz or stick my clothes in the wash the second I returned home! But I obviously didn’t think the implications through fully.

Now, my husband comes home from the pub smelling of beer and greasy food – is this an improvement? And when I placed a bet on the Grand National, it wasn’t smoke choking me in the betting shop, but the stench of BO.

The effect of the smoking ban has been to drive smokers onto the pavement. It’s only in the sultry May weather that I have taken much notice of this. As an asthmatic, I need to avoid pollutants, so recently when walking the dog in my own street I have had to cross the road to avoid one group of smokers – and promptly back again to avoid another!

Then, while driving last week, I was stopped at traffic lights by Wetherspoons, and the drifting fug of cigarette smoke forced me to roll up the car windows - I almost melted inside my hot car.

I am all for legislation which prevents passive smoking in public places – of course! However I think the law needs to be revisited in order to achieve this. If we could return to the days of dedicated smoking rooms, provided by public premises and employers, the only people to whom smokers would subject their filthy fumes would be themselves.