I'll have to take your word for it Michael - it never enhanced the taste of my food when I was inhaling other peoples' smoke!
Seriously I think the story that you mention is disgusting, and I do think that smokers are entitled to treatment - they pay enough in taxes!
After all, if you're going to say smokers can't have treatment where do you stop? Should skiers not be allowed treatment if they break a leg, car drivers refused treatment if they have an accident?
my gp refused to prescribe pain killers for my then 8 yr old son as he got hurt playing rugby and I could buy some over the counter. It was the first time I took him to the doctors in 2.5 years as he was having trouble taking a deep breath. You polay rugby you get hurt was the docs reply and told me to go to Boots and buy some calpol.
So that puts my very active healthy 9 year old below the nonces and smokers of the world. The world is maddness
Back to square one but what dunt kill you makes you stronger!!
Absolutely. If someone attempts suicide do we just leave them to die? Same with drug addicts who accidentally overdose or people who have too much booze in a session?
It is unfair and I do agree that non smokers are entitled to enjoy their food and drink in an atmosphere without smoke if that is what they want. But I also believe that I should be able to open a pub stick a huge sign above it saying 'Smoking Bar' and serve smokers. Non smokers then have the choice whether to go in or not and smokers have the choice of going somewhere that they can enjoy their puff.
I totally agree Michael. Although I agree with the smoking ban, I would have no problem allowing some pubs to allow smokers in if they wanted, providing it was made clear so that I could choose not to go in there. Also, I think that smoking should still be banned in restaurants.
I can understand why they have such strict criteria regarding transplants as organs are in such short supply and the person actually has to want to change. I'm not saying that a recovering alcoholic shouldn't have a transplant, but when you see someone with CF or similar dying I do feel they should be prioritised. Look at George Best, his liver could have gone to someone who would have actually appreciated it.
Sorry Michael, I don’t believe it’s quite so simple. What about the bar staff who have to serve in your smoking pub? And non-smokers would have little choice but to accompany their smoking friends (it only takes one). At least under the current system, they can still smoke, albeit outside. Other pubs would cry – with some justification - unfair competition.
Lady_h, Bankruptcy definately isnt an option, we earn a good wage and have our own home (well mortgaged!) If anything DMP might be a better option but we dont want the hassle from creditors. Micheal, Payplan said they have to go with their guidelines and that they have built in a little contingency already for us which we can use for smoking (blimey its not much of a contingency, do they know how much ciggies cost!) She said that creditors are more likely to refuse the proposal if we start asking for more expenditure for this as they might see it as unreasonable. We were under the impression to use goverment approved companies for IVA and not to pay anyone which is why , I'm ever so confused :-/
Lord Soth.
Tens of thousands have lost their jobs since the ban and the smoking staff could work in smoking pubs and the non smokers in non smoking pubs.
As to friends, I find many non smokers feel abandoned as the smokers go outside and the inside is empty. They would rather be in a well ventilated smoking pub where the conversation and company is not fractured.
Many advocates of the smoking ban say it improved the quality of the pubs and trade is up so these pubs would not revert back to smoking venues so the competition thing is wrong. It is about choice.
Finally before I rant too much, the organ discussion. I am a member of all the donor lists and donate blood regularly. I have never been turned away because I smoke so my system must not be that diseased. If I am prepared to donate for others why I am denied treatment?
You're braver than me Michael, I'm ashamed to say I've never given blood. I'm a wuss when it comes to blood and needles, but I know I should do it as I might need some myself one day.
Nikki. All IP firms are licensed and heavily regulated and the fees are taken from the IVA payments. Payplan do not do IVAs for free and they are no more government approved than any other IP firm.
If you cannot afford the payments ring another firm and tell them. Your chances of acceptance are no less and there are no upfront fees. If Payplan think your IVA will have a getter chance of rejection because you have a proper I&E I find this strange. Bear in mind that currently IPs are being paid 15% of realisations so the more you pay into the IVA the more they receive in fees.
If only it was as easy to become debt free as it is to become crippled with debt.
You have got to be prepared to give a little for the chance to be debt free I am grateful that I am paying back 46p/£1 of my £32k debt so to me giving something up and tightening the purse strings for 5 year it is worth it.
You may even enjoy becoming a whining ex smoker!!!
Back to square one but what dunt kill you makes you stronger!!
As one of the few people on here in an IVA with the CCCS,I would like to add that they do allow an amount for smoking. I have no idea what the max is, but I claimed £15 per month as I dont smoke that much, only when I am out. Gave up smoking in the house 21 years ago. Banned from smoking at work 15 years ago, banned from smoking in pubs 2 years ago. I should give up really but I enjoy the odd one now and again.
I was told by Tenon that I can't put smoking in my I&E. I had stopped when the IVA started, then I started again, tried to put on I&E and was told I couldnt.
I have stopped again since though, mainly due to the money but also health concerns
