Smoking panel: Andy Hayes

MEET THE PANEL Name: Andy Hayes Age: 45 Lives: Lerwick, Shetland Works: IT support Ex-smoker

The smoking ban can't come soon enough from my point of view.

I speak as an asthma suffering ex-smoker, living in Lerwick, who is unable to go out to pubs because of the fog of cigarette smoke.

I am definitely no reformed smoker, preferring instead to try to educate those smokers around me who poison themselves first and the rest of us second.

The ban has been well advertised, but still many establishments are holding out to the last moment until they impose the ban, rather than grasping the nettle, protecting their staff and letting the rest of us, the majority, have an evening out without returning home with foul smelling clothes and hair through the effects of cigarette smoke.

I am unable to understand the logic of the owners of these establishments, who believe that their profits will be reduced if they ban smoking.

That is obviously completely wrong.

There are more non-smokers now than smokers and I constantly hear my friends bemoaning the way their evening out is spoilt by cigarette smoke.

You can't even stand in the bus shelter outside the hospital in Lerwick as it is full of NHS smokers dying for another fix.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and are not endorsed by the BBC.

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We asked for your views on the ban. The following represents the balance of opinion we received.

I put all my clothes in the wash after a night out regardless if I've been in a smoky atmosphere or not. You non smokers must be a smelly lot.
PL, Aberdeen

The cigarettes I smoke are legally imported, legally bought, tax paid and in other words, fully endorsed by this government and all before it. Tobacco will not be made illegal, it generates too much revenue, and to illegalise it would be paydirt to organised crime. Furthermore, the tobacco companies remain highly successful and profitable for its shareholders, I wonder how many anti-smokers even check if their endowments, pension funds etc are invested in some measure in these companies? The smell of my cigarettes is nothing to the stench of hypocrisy emanating from the proponents of this ban.
Liz Barber, Stockton on Tees, England

I read the news from Scotland every morning and every evening. I admire the people of my ancestral home. I know that you are all concerned about education, crime, and tolls on the Forth Road Bridge. None the less, I am so impressed with the incredible amount of progress that Scotland has made since 1999 when the Scottish Parliament first sat. Please understand that in the US, we can't even approve a garden plan in that amount of time. As to the smoking ban, I have been waiting for such a ban to happen here in Philadelphia. I am so eager to go out and enjoy the pubs and a nice pint. I can't with all the smoke. I have tried to get owners to do a smoke free night, or even a smoke free room, and they all fiercely refused. I now go up to New York when I want to go out. Perhaps, some people will stay home and just drink beer in their living room so they can smoke, that's fine. It means they won't drink-drive. But, people like me will be standing in ready to take their place at the bar. The one thing I don't understand is why no-one has approved the idea of a good smoking lounge in pubs. Think about it, a nice room with a double airlock door, and separate ventilation system. Smokers could go in there and smoke, drink, and still come out and join up with other friends. I'd have no problems with that.
J Nathan, Philadelphia

I cannot understand for the life of me how people can object to the smoking ban. The ban is not on smoking but smoking is public place. I don't think people should take it personally. I myself can't wait for the ban. As a non smoker I feel I have a right to enjoy going to a pub or restaurant without having to breathe in other people's smoke. People who smoke have a choice. But those who don't smoke do not. We have to breathe in second hand smoke whether we like it or not. We could go to a non smoking pub, but then why should our freedom to choose be taken away from us by a minority. I do not think the ban will have a big financial impact on the pub trade, although I suspect firms may use it as an excuse to increase prices. But then if it is going to save lives it's worth it. If you want to smoke then on you go, but please let those that don't live their lives free from your poisonous fumes.
Gilbert Maclellan, Livingston

I'm just sick of being increasingly controlled and monitored by our nanny state. Yes, I am a smoker and do believe that people should not have to be around others' smoke if they choose not to....choice is the key. In more and more areas of life people's choices are being eroded further by the day and the smoking ban is an outrageous example. Clearly the Scot Executive are still going for easy targets to create populist headlines in the tabloids...almost as if they cannot quite believe they have been given so much power...'give a small boy a hammer and he'll hit everything he sees'....well it's time for some serious policy...its time to make Scotland a country that the rest of the world can take seriously.
Paul Goodship, Strathaven

I'm a non smoker who would ultimately like to see smoking banned from all bars. Owners and managers who oppose the ban will quickly change their mind if they are successfully sued by their staff for damage caused by passive smoking. While I don't like smoking and the smell it leaves on my clothes I make the choice at the moment to go to front bars where it occurs but hopefully before long that choice will no longer be necessary.
Bob Shepherd, South Australia

A third of the Scottish Electorate smoke, with ONS polls consistently showing that two thirds of the public, smokers and non-smokers alike, favour separate smoking and non-smoking facilities, as opposed to a total ban. Why then go through a consultation process and then completely disregard the findings? As adults we are allowed choices, on all manner of things, but these choices are consistently being eroded by government deciding what's best for us. These matters should be left to public opinion and not legislated prohibition, with the use of public services, to police our private lives.

The indecent haste with which the legislation has been enacted brings our fledgling 'Democracy' into further disrepute. Especially when the scientific facts, pertaining to environmental tobacco smoke have been grossly misrepresented and deliberately misconstrued. It was surprising that other than the Conservative Party, not one of our politicians stood up for the legitimate rights of such a large minority group. Which is probably another reason, whereby ordinary people are being turned off by the party system and politicians. Democratic government should aim to protect the public not only from the tyranny of the minority, but also from the tyranny of the majority.
Don McLean, East Kilbride

In response to Steve B's comments earlier in the conversation, he fails to note one key difference between smoking and drinking: Smokers cannot smoke in a public place without affecting everyone around them. Drinkers can drink in a public place without affecting anyone around them, with the possible exception of spilling a pint on their shoes. The task is not to stop smokers from smoking, it's to stop them affecting other people.
Michael Kaye, London

The majority of smokers are quietly pleased about the ban as it will give them a real chance to quit. Pubs, clubs and restaurants will be much nicer places to be, and I will certainly be patronising them a lot more. The person who said smoke free pubs lacked atmosphere has obviously never come home after a night out in a Scottish pub and had to put all their clothes in the washing machine, then have a shower before going to bed because they stank of smoke. Some atmosphere!
Helen , Midlothian

I've been in some really dull no-smoking California bars. In contrast, New York bars were smoking and bouncing. Coincidence? Personally, I'd like to see alcohol banned as well. It's an addictive drug that costs innocent lives and at the very least it makes crashing bores of ex-smokers. It's social acceptance means drink-drivers use it as an excuse for killing somebody and getting lighter sentences. It costs the economy millions of man-hours in days off from hangovers and the attendant incompetence of liquid lunchtimes. There's as little justification for it as smoking.
Steve B, Edinburgh

I too am an asthma sufferer and as such have to avoid smoky hotels, pubs etc so I am really looking forward to March 26th. In light of the challenge by Alan Bowes of the Swallow group to try and stop the no smoking ban at this late stage, I will of course now be avoiding any Swallow hotels. The great majority are behind the smoking ban, but clearly Mr Bowes fears for his profits rather than the health of his workers and clients. I am sure there will be many people like myself who will maybe vote with their feet with regard to the Swallow group
Jules, Nairn

As a smoker the ban does not bother me one way or another. I am sick of listening to people who can talk about nothing else. I believe the ban will improve the health of the nation. I am concerned that a lot of people are also going to suffer, small bars who's main income comes from smokers may be forced to close as custom will fall. Large brewery-based pubs may lower prices to tempt people in but smaller privately owned bars will have to increase prices to compensate for the drop in custom, the pub trade has been in decline for a while and this may prove to be the final nail in the coffin for most businesses, especially if landlords get fined up to £500 if someone drops a cigarette at their front door.

It should be through choice and only law to ban smoking in places where food is to be served. there is already one bar in Edinburgh which is non-smoking and I have never seen more than 4 people in it. Finally as a smoker who will hopefully be giving up I have one last question - will smokers get free patches on the NHS from the 26th? I fear the answer is no, after all it is a recognised addiction. heroine addicts get free methadone to assist them and that is an illegal act in the first place.
Joseph Kruszyna, Edinburgh

I am from Greenock and have lived in the US for about three years now and the ban hit here about a year ago. I am a smoker and have been for a long time. Even when I quit for nine years I never begrudged anyone of having a smoke. Now in the past year all the bars in Austin have been going down the drain and I am not talking about your big bars down town I mean the little ones you go to on the way home from work. It has unfortunately led most of these bars to start letting people smoke again just so they can get people back in the bars as it's better to take the fine every night rather than close.

I don't think anyone has the right to tell anyone how to live their life and if you want to smoke then smoke. If you want to drink then drink and that means if I want to open a pub so I can let people come in and have a beer and a smoke then that should be my choice not yours. All it would take would be a notice on the door saying smoking or non smoking.
Stuart McBrearty, Texas

Great. The Scottish Executive have banned smoking. When are they going to tackle grown-up issues like drugs/crime/self-respect? Don't wait up.
Anne Macmillan, Helensburgh

In response to Brian Petrie: "Maybe they should just line all us nicotine addicts up against a wall and let a rampaging non-smoker pull the trigger". Surely it would be quicker and cheaper for you in the long run, with ultimately the same outcome!
Jamie Hayes, Horsham

Can the Scottish Executive please ban all those old American movies from my TV where almost everyone smokes e.g. Casablanca. Americans are very vociferous about being anti-smoking and yet they don't take any responsibility for being the cause.
Audrey

I cannot express strongly enough how appalled I am at the legal challenge to the smoking ban being pursued by Swallow Group. The ban on smoking in public places does not ban smoking, it simply forces smokers to choose somewhere else to smoke. To put pub profits before the health of the people of Scotland, and to do so unilaterally is very condescending, and to suggest that this ban is being implemented against the wishes of the people is ridiculous. I for one will be boycotting all Swallow Group holdings immediately, and I hope this objection is rejected out of hand.
Alex Holstead, Armadale

I am in Scotland twice a year. I can't wait to be able to go into a pub and not come out stinking!! In the past when I have complained about patrons next to me smoking, I have been considered one of those "rude Americans" (although I am much more Scottish than American). I can't wait!!!
Anne Holladay-Wallace, Tennessee USA

Where are all the restaurants that allow smoking? Non-smokers seem to find them easily enough, but I, as a smoker, only seem to find ones that quite rightly, don't allow smoking at tables. Some have bars where smoking is permitted, but generally a smoker would need to go outside to enjoy a puff. I'm sure most smokers accept the ban is coming soon and probably will be a jolt for a few to quit. I find in general, non-smokers have been on the rampage over the last few months in the media. There are far more considerate smokers than inconsiderate ones in my view, who happily freeze half to death for their fix, but as usual we are all tarred with the same filter tipped brush. Maybe they should just line all us nicotine addicts up against a wall and let a rampaging non-smoker pull the trigger
Brian Petrie, Carnoustie