"Or rather, from now till May 2010, smokers should show non-smokers how inconsiderate they can be by blowing all the smoke straight into their face."

Atan, is this different from the typical attitude of smokers in Switzerland? I think the total lack of tolerance from smokers has been one of things that has resulted in this semi ban. There are some considerate smokers but the majority are not.

How many times has a smoker asked...do you mind if I smoke and then respected the answer if it is yes that the person does mind ?

Shame it has taken so long

Martin

Not only have the smokers been inconsiderate all the way, and behaved as if being the ruling class, smoking since the early 1990ies has been on the rise again, after some decline in the 1970ies and 80ies. When I some years ago heard a smoker declaring "if they do not like my smoking they simply can go elsewhere" which in practice meant that the smokers occupied the good restaurants and left some "other" places to the non-smokers, it became clear to me what way I had to vote.

I am a smoker and I feel awful smoking in restaurants especially when people are eating. If I am in a group, I dont smoke when the rest of the table are eating.

When they've finished, I ask if I can smoke. No one is rude enough, I guess, to tell me in my face to eff off. I feel bad when I light up. I feel like an alcoholic or druggie telling myself "just one, i need just one".

Its a bloody awful habit having to smoke after a meal, or whilst having a coffee or alcohol. But I get fidgety, edgy and a tad bit grumpy if I dont get to smoke whilst doing any of those, yes, those of you who've been out with me know that I am not really very good company when I dont have my faithful friend. Heck, I even have to knock myself out with sleeping tablets on long flights just to resist the urge to smoke. I admit that I have a huge problem but I have yet to take a step in the right direction to quit because I am not ashamed to admit that its my favourite pastime. Judge me. Meh.

But hearing such comments like the above, winds me up. I have probably tried too hard to justify myself too much as being a considerate smoker. My point is - we've managed to co-exist quite peacefully till the recent years. People know that when they go out, they'll come back smelling like an ashtray because smoking and alcohol is part and parcel of bars, pubs and clubs. It just takes one or two negative experiences that the non smokers have with the smokers (smoke being blown in their faces, hearing comments like "if they dont like it, go elsewhere") that caused them to react negatively towards us. And oh yes, countless reports drumming the fact that passive smoking is bad for you blah blah blah blah blah.

Its a bad habit, we admit it. Sorry you stink like an ashtray when you go home. We will obey the ban once its enforced (we have to). But right now, let us enjoy our last moments of pure unadulterated joy hee

*braced for groans*

Really? Are there some smokers here who are not already inconsiderate?

Until you have quit smoking, and I sincerely hope you will, you cannot begin to imagine how repulsive the habit is to those who don't smoke. Tobacco has killed or numbed your sense of taste and smell. A few months after you have quit you will understand what I am talking about.

You may also understand that the "unadulterated joy" you refer to is nothing more than an addiction being temporarily satisified...

I don't smoke, but I'm certainly not going to groan you for being sincere !

I don't like the idea of banning anybody from smoking (DB really does have a point, as usual). Smokers respect non-smokers, I don't see why there can not be a peaceful co-habitation.

But people are very militant about their right to smoke around here. Not sure why. Most often, I do find people smoking right in my face when I am eating and that just isnt kosher. Once, I and a friend asked to sit outside since we didn't want to be in the smoky inside. The waiter heard my telling my friend the reason, and proceeded to go into a 20 minute rant about this is Switzerland and we'll bloody smoke if we want to. I never made any judgement, rather made a choice based on my tastes.

I'll be happy when the ban kicks in, as personally I find smoke disgusting and we all knows it unhealthy. The former is not a reason for a ban, but the latter is. The bigger problem in Zurich is that there is no ventilation in bars so the smoke builds up. Some places I find it impossible to breathe. And smokers from elsewhere feel the same way. Seems they like it all or nothing, and nothing is what we'll get.

People complained elsewhere but everyone from frigid Canada to swarthy Italy adapted, and no one complains in these places anymore. Bars did not start closing, ....

Everyone will be fine, and a greater proportion of the population will be able to enjoy bars and restaurants.

Well that's the problem, as people have stated above, they don't here in Zurich. I've been burned twice and always have smoke blown right into my face - no effort to at least blow up - and worst when this happens at a restaurant.

But seriously, just like the right of women to vote, CH is finally catching up with the civilised world with smoke-free areas for everyone to enjoy.

mmmm that's another topic, Appenzell remained quite against it, and just a few years ago was finally overruled by the Federal government.
We females were supposed to remain in our kitchens and let our men do the important stuff.

Er, that is what I was referring to ...

considerate smoking is what a Mr Martin (2nd husband of the grandmother of a schoolfriend) did in his time. He twice per day went (either walking or driving) to a nearby forest, walked a bit and smoked one or two cigarettes each time. He should have stopped but did not, and fell victim to his third heart attack. His wife then sadly stated that this had been the result of his smoking, most others said it was the result of smoking, eating well and drinking well and living well. He became only 66, but his healthily living wife only 70, so what .....

Nobody is banned from smoking. My sister-in-law DOES smoke, but rather outside closed rooms. Cohabitation only would be possible with cigarettes without smoke. DB however pointed to exactly the aspect of the ban which is utterly bad and which was the reason why I a decade before would have voted against it, and that is if you ban this now, some people may want to ban something else. Maybe there will be initiative for cowbells with mufflers, and another one for churchbells only to be hearable if you carry with you a special device, and other rubbish of this class.

But back again, people can continue to smoke on the roads, in garden and boulevard cafés/restaurants/pubs, or on their own balconies. It is NOT a ban on smoking, it is a ban on people translating Pub into German as Paff-Paff.

can I chuck my 2-penny worth into this?

truth to be told, I welcome the smoking ban. I smoke (heavily, I may add), but nonetheless I still hate coming home after a night out and smelling like an ashtray. Coming from Guernsey, when they had the smoking ban for a few years now, I got used to the fact that if you are out for a pint with your friends and want to have a fag, you just go outside, have your fag, and then go back to your pint. Granted, sometimes is a bit annoying when you are having a chat and someone in the party say "hold your thoughts, I'll be back in a sec", but is not the end of the world, you soon find out that even the non smokers will come outside with you so you can carry on the conversation... but then it depends on your friends I suppose...

And if you are out for dinner, I don't buy the fact that is seen as "acceptable" to smoke only when everyone around the table is finished eating... it shouldn't be acceptable at all, what about the table next to yours? and for the same reason separate "smoking areas" are not the solution either, it'd be like a having a peeing area in a swimming pool. Separate rooms altogether are even worst, I've been in those "smoking cubicle" at Zurich airport and they are worst than any pub I've been to, you don't need a night out to smell like an ashtray, just a couple of minutes in one of those and you'll reek for the whole flight.

Moral of the story? we should all welcome the smoking ban (smokers and non smokers alike), it will make everybody's pints more enjoyable and "going out for a fag" has yet to kill anyone

now I'm bracing for the groans...

Your hope is legit, the new rules in Basel will actually already come into effect on April 1! Not a joke!!! And this is Basel, the perpetual ennemy of Zurich

So, let's all get outside on April 1, 2010, light fires on every hilltop and celebrate like on August 1!

"we've managed to co-exist quite peacefully till the recent years" - summerrain

I think that is a fallacy. The reality has been that non smokers have had to make decisions - do they want to go into a restaurant or a bar even though they know that they are going to have to be a smokey atmosphere. A lot people who don't smoke have accepted that if you are in the company of smokers that they will smoke in your company at some stage and you have to accept that or decide not to associate with those people.

I have waited 20 years for this to happen in Switzerland and I can't wait for able to eat and drink in smoke free environment. It is not like people cannot smoke, it will not stop the "joys" of being at a tram stop where some lights up next to you are being on the escalator at the railway station and breathing in second hand smoke.

Have fun
Martin

About time. I don't see why there's even a debate. It's basically choosing between the comfort of smokers and the health of non-smokers.

My wife signed a petition yesterday at Zurich HBf to try and get smoking banned at train stations including the platforms.

Thanks for this post! I was shocked to read it, so they basically have the right to smoke bu tyou dont have the right to breath clean air ??
I have asthma and believe me, smoke does make it worse, sometimes it will even make a crisis come when I am otherwise feeling great !

I am very happy to have some places that are smoke free, provided there are also places that allow smoking. I enjoy a pipe or a cigar, but fortunately I am not addicted to either (I wouldn't touch cigarettes with a ten foot pole - in fact I would support a total ban on those products). But I like to have the choice. Here in Buchs there are bars that are smoke free, and one or two that aren't (one of which, incidentally, would close if smoking was banned totally -a shame, since it is the only one that serves Murphys). I and my friends know in advance where we are going, it isn't a problem. Why should that choice be taken away? Given that assissted suicide is available in Zurich, the health argument doesn't really hold water...

Try to go out for dinner or a coffee when you have your kid with you. I don't want my daughter to be in a room of smoke. I don't want her to be close to a smoker.

I can't go and enjoy a meal because of the smoker's freedom to puff their smoke all over the place. So I am not free!

Smoke if you want, this is none of my problem. But don't smoke in my face, on my side, close to me, in the same room... Go outside!