People like to smoke while doing business or spending their time leisurely. While dining out, they like to enjoy a fag or two. That’s the way they relax. Good food accompanied by a pleasurable cigarette can be very rewarding in a cozy restaurant.
Smoking in a restaurant appears to be very appealing, but many social activists who are organizing anti-smoking campaigns are trying to ban smoking in public in order to help people may be in a small way quit smoking. Restaurants are no exception to this rule. Why should this be so? After all, a person has the right to relax and enjoy his or her food the way he wants to. Let us observe this better.
Why Ban Smoking in a Restaurant ?
- Restaurant is a public place.
- Passive smokers are also exposed to the smoke.
- Families accompanied by their children also visit restaurants, which means infants and children are exposed to smoke.
- The restaurant will become stuffy with smoke.
- No fresh air inside the premises.
- Protects non-smokers from risk of heart diseases, lung cancer and respiratory problems.
- Increase in visitors to the restaurant as non-smokers will also pay a visit.
- It is also safe for those working in restaurants as they are not exposed to the unwanted smoke.
- Nonsmokers can suffer from nausea due to lack of fresh air.
- People allergic to cigarette smoke can also visit restaurants and enjoy their outing.
Efforts are on to ban smoking in public places. Smoking in restaurants is not also appreciated by many who are against smoking. They feel passive smokers suffer unnecessarily.
Smoking Ban Demands New Bar Culture
One wonders how effective has smoking ban been in England. Yes, the impact has been there. Now one finds many huddled in front of bars and clubs. In the evening hours many smoke outside these bars . People living residential areas are disturbed by such smoking culture.
Nearly 400,000 people in England have given up smoking in the initial 12 months of the ban. This is, of course, not very surprising.
Not So Obvious Effects of Ban:
- There has been tremendous increase in outside spaces and beer gardens for people to relax and enjoy. A large number of beer gardens were renovated. Pubs provide open spaces to smoke. Beer gardens are being made of backyards and wasteland
- Dry cleaning industry has also had a set back due to the smoking ban. People are now in non-smoky set-ups and their clothes do not smell of nicotine. They do not require freshening up
- Chefs in pubs are being better paid. Food is also being served in these pubs
- Pubs are also offering entertainment. Poker, live music, quiz nights or Sunday lunch is part of the deal
- Food that is being served has also improved a lot
- Since they are not allowed to smoke inside, these smokers have very reluctantly taken to the streets and also indulge in flirtations on the street
- An interesting conversation inside a pub can get interrupted, when the customers have to move outside for a fag. After all, the environ inside the pub maybe more conducive for a lively conversation
- Traditional games such as dominoes and snooker have suffered as people have to go out for a smoke
- Socialization offered by pubs has also suffered from a setback
- People having a chat with a smoker get interrupted, as the smoker keeps going out for a smoke
- The survival of many clubs is under threat due to cheap supermarket drinks and smoking ban
Anti-smoking campaigners have no doubt appreciated the smoking ban, but those running pubs and clubs are of course not too happy about it. Yet, they have adjusted to the new legislation and made the environment in these pubs and clubs as comfortable as possible. Smokers,of course, find it very inconvenient to go out and fag.
