Ban the talk on the ban on smoking in pub gardens...

Reading about the potential ban on smoking in pub gardens is making me want to puff away more furiously than ever before. 

In today's The Sun, Duncan Stephenson of The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) agreed that there should be a ban on smoking in beer gardens. 

His first paragraph states 'Smokers should vape and drink, not smoke and stink.' 

Vape? No, thanks. In August 2014 the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended that e-cigarettes should be banned indoors because they omit chemicals potentially as dangerous as cigarettes and have a potential passive smoking risk. Fancy me vaping next to you now Mr Stephenson? 

Not enough research has been completed yet on the long term effects of vaping and e-cigarettes, so if its all the same to you, I'm going to carry on smoking my real disgusting cigarette outside in the pub garden - because that's where you pushed me out to in 2007. 

The RSPH '...want to see exclusion zones outside places where you can currently light up - such as pubs and bars, and schools and parks. The latter I agree with but if I want to go outside a bar for a cigarette at 1am and chat to some new friends, while all of the non-smokers are still dancing the night away, then what is the problem? 

Mr Stephenson also chirps 'Banning smoking outside these venues will also make smoking a cigarette less visible, and hopefully discourage young people from taking up the habit in the first place.' Does he not read anything other than his own bent views? More children than ever have been experimenting with e-cigarettes according to a survey by NetCen Social Research published in July 2015. 

Pubs suffered hugely when the indoor smoking ban was introduced in 2007 and still even now there are 29 pubs a week closing their nicotine stained doors. 

I agree with the indoor ban, I work in a pub and I remember how unpleasant it was when I was able to sit and smoke in a pub. After initially groaning at the thought of going outside to smoke, it did make me more social. 

Smoking areas are a great way to meet new friends, and men. Dating sites? No thanks, I'll just pop to my local and get chatting to a nice fella in the smoking area (unless he is a non smoker- if he is then why is he in my area?). 

There have been comments from people on various sites about this topic and smoking around food has come up a lot. 

If you are in an enclosed space and wish to eat your food without breathing in second hand smoke, then I suggest you go back inside. We graciously go outside to smoke in all weathers as you non smokers insisted, so let me enjoy my wine and ciggy in peace. 

I don't need you huffing and puffing (my second hand smoke), at me - if you go outside, then expect to seem me there with my packet of over-priced cigarettes, which I will light up as and when I please.  

Talking of which, I am currently sitting in the library next to an annoying child chattering away (not my own), about unicorns, ice cream and dog poo (Goodness knows what she is reading, but I think it should be banned). So now I am going to the pub next door, cigarettes in hand where the glorious pub garden awaits my smoky presence- and if you don't like it, stay inside.