News that Sydney Uni has banned smoking on its campuses entirely has caused me to wonder whether we have gone too far in stigmatising smoking. http://bit.ly/x1zmNI.

Whilst at one stage while a uni student I occasionally smoked a pipe (that only ever contained tobacco), I haven't touched tobacco for years, hate being around cigarette smoke, and think that we would be healthier if no-one ever smoked.

However, that doesn't mean that I expect everyone else to follow suit.

I agree that smoking should be banned indoors - basically as a mark of respect to others - but I don't have a problem with smoking outside. The health effects of slipstream smoking even indoors is minute, and out of doors I suspect the particulates from my diesel 4X4 do much more damage than wafted tobacco fumes.

Part of the price we pay for living in a community is that what others do will have some impact on us that may at times be less than pleasant.

So corralling Sydney uni smokers into a few outdoor ghettos seems to me to go beyond what is reasonable.

Graham I get the impression that the response has moved from protecting non-smokers from unwanted exposure to cigarette smoke to trying to using whatever means are available to make it difficult for smokers to try and force them to give up.

I'd personally rather see smoking disappear but don't want the kind of society that imposes too many public values on private actions.

Would like to see a way of stopping the littering which so many smokers seem to be so fond of though. Cigarette but's don't belong on the road, in gardens etc.

R0bert

I smoked while a navy pilot,it helped stop the hands shaking, but had to give it up. Too expensive when I was paying my own way through my last 4 units at uni.

Graham, your 4X4 must be an absolute heap, if it comes anywhere near challenging the particulates coming out of Brisbane buses, or some of those run by at least some private suburban bus companies on school routs. Isn't it interesting that we find those protesting most about others smoking, are the very ones who champion those stinking buses.

I don't even notice normal cigarette smoke today, but do find that some of the heaver roll your own tobaccos emit a delicious fragrance. If I weren't so strong I could be tempted to try them, with possibly disastrous financial effect for a retired pauper.

Still I don't find the smokers, or even the buses half as annoying as the do gooders who want to force their opinions on everyone.

With their backing of so much bull, [AGW anyone], I'm not surprised that unis should do this.

It is just a step too far, in my view.

I used to smoke. I gave up a number of times, last time for good. And I'm pleased that I did.

But I'm with Hasbeen...

>>I don't find the smokers, or even the buses half as annoying as the do gooders who want to force their opinions on everyone<<

On a slightly more realistic note, I seem to recall that my school had a very strict no-smoking policy.

But it also had bike sheds.

<< News that Sydney Uni has banned smoking on its campuses entirely… >

But they haven’t banned it entirely.

From the linked article:

< In recognition that some people may still wish to smoke, a number of areas on each campus have been designated as smoking areas. These are easily located and are within short walking distance of all major buildings. >

Graham, you write:

<< So corralling Sydney uni smokers into a few outdoor ghettos seems to me to go beyond what is reasonable. >>

It is totally fair and reasonable for smoking to be confined to designated smoking areas, IMO.

Ciggarete smaoke would have to be one of, if not the only form of legal littering.

I think that perhaps the time has come to totally ban all smoking anywhere outside the private residence. Leave your home, no smoking allowed.

This would solve the argument on whether or not passive smoking is harmful, it would save millions on health care, would assits equality within the workplace and would not be something that could be legally challenged, unlike the plain packaging. but of cause, it would cost the government dearly in lost revenues.