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Thursday 8 July 2010

ASH to Ashes and the sound of squealing

The heat is on, in these days of crushing governmental debt, to curb public expenditure. Freedom2Choose has made no secret that it wants the coalition government to start by starving fake charities like ASH and so called ‘health’ quangos that are not fit for purpose to stop them leaching money for failed stop smoking policies.

There has been a groundswell of dissent against the smoking ban in pubs and clubs since the 1st of July 2007 with MP’s joining forces with freedom of choice groups, most notably the Save Our Pubs & Clubs campaign led by conservative MP Greg Knight calling for an amendment to allow smoking back in pubs and clubs.

The latest MP to join the ranks of MPs to call for smoking to be allowed back in public houses is Brian Binley who has initiated an EDM (Early Day Motion.) His EDM states:
"Any review should consider a balanced and proportionate amendment to the legislation, which allows for segregated smoking rooms or areas within pubs, bars and clubs provided that effective smoke extraction systems of an authorised standard are installed, enabling smokers to be accommodated in comfort indoors without impacting on non smokers and staff whilst reducing intrusive noise to many who live close to such establishments, thus helping to safeguard the future of many in the licensed trade. And that any changes to the smoking ban legislation thereafter should be made on the basis of evidence, fairness, proportionality recognising the importance of such institutions to the nation’s social life and community wellbeing."
With this latest attack on the anti business smoking ban it was inevitable that the pigs would start squealing as they could smell the aroma of apple sauce:
Responding to a call by a group of MPs for the re-introduction of smoking in pubs, ASH said that there was little public support for such a measure. In fact, ASH research suggests the opposite to be true - ie that smokers would welcome an extension of the smoking ban rather than a relaxation of the law.
ASH and their research has been pulled to pieces by numerous bloggers and writers of note.

To bolster their argument that pubs should die and smokers should shiver in the cold to have a smoke they turned to the ‘heart attack’ miracle much vaunted by the MSM but roundly trashed by those that have a closer look.
Recent research from the University of Bath shows how smokefree legislation has accelerated the reduction in heart attacks (a drop of 2.5% on top of the long term trend) and saved the NHS in England more than £8 million in the first year.
And of course us smokers just lurv the ban, innit’
With every passing year the smokefree law gets more and more popular and now commands the support of 80% of English adults with support growing fastest among smokers.
And, of course, the much welcomed smoking ban has not harmed pubs and clubs, in fact (to them (ASH) in their dreamlike state) are positively thriving:
In response to claims that the law has been bad for the licensed trade, government figures show the number of premises licensed for "on sales" actually increased by 5% the year England and Wales went smokefree.
I’ll finish with their number one mouthpiece Martin (dogbreath) Dockrell:
"All the evidence points to high and growing support for the smokefree law, including among smokers. There just isn't the evidence to support a return to the bad old days of smoky pubs and clubs. Instead of rolling back a law that is working well, we would urge the Government to focus on a comprehensive tobacco control strategy that will continue to drive down smoking rates and improve public health."
Apple sauce Martin?

pigletsfreerange_jup Feeding time for the pigs will soon be over.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'll bet that the bitch Arnott has pissed her pants.

Unknown said...

Shitting them I'd say Anon. How they can get away with the crap the put into their press release I don't know. Everything in there, and they link to their sources, sources that have been found to be tobacco control freaks that can't do their sums.

Everything in there is utter BOLLOCKS.

JJ said...

Arnott's second from the left in your picture...recognise that face anywhere!

Mark Wadsworth said...

Top man is Binley, also allegedly a moderate Land Value Taxer.

Anonymous said...

ASH what a bunch of freaks!! Lets hope whats needed, an amendment to the draconian smoking ban and a choice of areas for adults inside, is decided by our new government.

The likes of Dockrell seem to care more about this control, making sure that we don't get out to socialise, than they care about the nations health in general.

Anonymous said...

In an article linked in today's ASH UK news, ASH refers to a series of surveys conducted by YouGov, which it claims shows tHAT 80% of the public supports the smoking ban and that support is growing among smokers.
I can find no mention of these surveys on YouGov's site. Has anybody seen these surveys? I suspect that the questions asked mentioned workplaces not mention pubs; and probably included the question, "Would you say the smoking ban has been a success?": to which even I would have to answer, "Yes" - I haven't seen crowds of people lighting up in pubs.
I shall contact YouGov, who will probably confirm that the surveys are the property of ASH UK. I shall then contact ASH UK, although I don't hold out much hope of their publishing the survey questions and results. If this is the case, would an FOI request be successful?

Pat Nurse MA said...

Prohibition is a step backwards and so is anti technology when ventilation standards and choice are the right way forward.

I guess this "smokers love the ban" line is another example of tell a lie often enough ...

ASH is expert at that if it knows fuck all about smokers or smoking.

Anonymous said...

Here in the USA, many small neighborhood bars ignore the ban to stay in business. That's why our ancestors came here in the first place. This is simply history repeating itself.

Anonymous said...

The response to ASH is simple:

If everyone loves the ban then they have nothing to worry about from this EDM.

Steve

Michael J. McFadden said...

Steve's right: If the ban is good for biz and loved by everyone why not simply repeal it? Obviously just about everyone would keep adhering to it, right? Or are they lying?

Also: "In response to claims that the law has been bad for the licensed trade, government figures show the number of premises licensed for "on sales" actually increased by 5% the year England and Wales went smokefree."

Note they speak of "the year" and totally ignore the fact of what's happened in all the years since.

- MJM

Dick Puddlecote said...

The YouGov poll details.

"Surveys conducted by YouGov Plc. Wave 1: Fieldwork was undertaken between 17th and 22nd April 2007. Total sample size was 1562 adults. Wave 2: Fieldwork was undertaken between 22nd and 28th August 2007. Total sample size was 1532 adults. Wave 3: Fieldwork was undertaken between 20th and 25th February 2008. Total sample size was 1056 adults. Wave 4: Fieldwork was undertaken between 25th and 30nd March 2009. Total sample size was 10895 adults. Wave 5: Fieldwork was undertaken between 17th and 22nd March 2010. Total sample size was 10276 adults.. The surveys were carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all England adults (aged 18+)."

Err, that's it.

From here

Unknown said...

Yeah Dick, I read that when I first saw the PR and it also mentions links??? What links? Or are we meant to go to their website to find them. And, as usual, they are online 'polls' which I wouldn't trust.

Truth is the bastards are shittin' theirselves in case there is a seachange amongst MPs against the smoking ban.

Anonymous said...

Of course, smokers are nice, law abiding,decent,pleasant,easy going,
amicable,compliant,soft centred
de-activated folk, Thats why we still have a total ban.
Easy meat for ASh and other asssorted limp wristed freaks.
It would be a different story if
someone could stir up the chavs,
nutmegs ,smackheads,nutters and
assorted low life that stand outside the dives and shitholes
of the dying towns.
These chaps know how to capture the attention of pansies and lillies.

Scipio

Anonymous said...
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