ASH Call For Ban
On Smoking In Cars
(20/02/07)
If Prof Luke Clancy of ASH has his way
it won't be long before smoking will be added to the plethora of
offences which attract penalty points for the Irish motorist. Ash
Ireland has called on the Government to extend the smoking ban to
peoples own cars and all motor vehicles. This follows a recent demand in
a report before government that they should consider banning smoking in
the home.
To
mark National No Smoking day, ASH Ireland has called on the government
to ban smoking in peoples own cars and all motor vehicles. According to
ASH, smoking a cigarette is as dangerous as speaking on a mobile phone
and therefore the government should ban smoking in all motor vehicles.
Prof. Luke Clancy of ASH states " I believe that smoking should be
banned in cars as it raises issues in relation to health as well as road
safety. Smokers must light up, hold the cigarette, deposit the ash and
dispose of the cigarette - all whilst driving. If it is not safe to hold
a mobile phone while driving its difficult to see how it can be safe to
smoke."
Difficult as it might be for the professor to see how it can't be safe,
it may come as quite a shock to Prof Clancy to learn that smokers have
long since managed to master the complexities of smoking a cigarette
while safely engaged in such things as flying airplanes, driving trains,
working on high raise buildings, wiring a power station and even having
sex among a long list of activities without coming to any harm or
causing harm to others. There is no comparison with any inherent dangers
of distraction from holding a phone conversation whilst driving and
having a cigarette. Having your wife call you on your mobile whilst in
the throes of sex might certainly interfere with the activity at hand,
but having a cigarette on the go certainly won't no more than it will
while driving a motor vehicle.
This
is yet another example of Prof Clancy's utter contempt and disdain for
smokers. He is constantly dreaming up new ways to punish smokers who
have steadfastly refused to obey his will and cease to use tobacco. To
coincide with the introduction of the smoking ban, tens of millions of
Euros has been spent on elaborate anti smoking campaigns and unending
anti smoking propaganda plus an army of smoke police to enforce
legislation. Despite this, Irish people are smoking in ever increasing
numbers with 100 million extra cigarettes sold through legal outlets in
2006 not to mention the huge increase in imports both legal and illegal.
The smoking ban with it's attendant anti smoking campaign and regime has
had the opposite effect of what Prof Clancy promised on it's
introduction. This may explain his calls for increasingly extreme anti
smoker measures from the government.
Not to
be outdone by Prof Luke Clancy's hysterics on National No Smoking day,
The Irish Cancer Society has waded in with warnings that not only does
smoking effect health, but also 'beauty.' It claims half of all smokers
will develop 'Smokers Face.' Yes, Smokers Face ! According to their
website a person has smokers face if they have ; lines or wrinkles on
the face radiating at right angles from the lips or corners of the eyes,
a subtle gauntness of facial features, slightly pigmented grey
appearance of the skin, a slightly orange, purple complexion, and that
half of all smokers will get it regardless of age, class, exposure to
sunlight, weight loss or gain ! It will no doubt come as quite a shock
to all the non smokers over 50 with the same symptoms to learn they have
Smokers Face !! To top it all, Norma Cronin, Tobacco Control Health
Promotion Manager of the Irish Cancer Society lends her considerable
expertise with the warning " Smokers may develop hollow cheeks through
repeated sucking on cigarettes"
What will they come up with next ?
