i think its good. smoking is responsible for more than 1/3 of cancers that the NHS has to deal with, one of the three primary risk factors for cardiovascular disease (the other two being hypertension and hyperlipidemia); cvd being the largest cause of death in this country, the biggest killing disease worldwide (greater than cancer, than HIV/AIDS). i think an all out ban would be better. no benefits through smoking. huge costs and burdens upon the health service to deal with its effects. hopefully the ban will lead somewhat to a reduction in the numbers that take it up - but i'm certain that the tobbacco industry will do everything in its power to try and maintain and increase its market.
of course there is the argument of individual freedom - but freedom to kill yourself and those around you....?

those of you who are really opposed to the ban - get more involved in the squatting movement; i bet squat parties will be the only places where people will be free to light up without worry (or who knows, maybe the police will use it as the excuse they've been waiting for and raid all the parties ;o)
i personally think that all squatted communal spaces should be free from smoking - i hate other people imposing their carcinerous smoke on me. or at least have a dedicated room where they can all go and choke together.

it is THE major addiction. worse consequences on society as a whole than any other addictive substance. it simply aint good.

off for a spliff now.....
...i really should give up(!)

Been banned for ages up here and its quite good. For a start, people go out to drink less and more pubs are shutting down so it is saving lot's of Scots from liver damage. But better than that, when you do drink you get an excuse to talk to people at the doors of the pubs. My last two sexual encounters were prompted by this - and anyway, who'd want to kiss a non-smoker ? To us they just taste the same, but all their nagging, disdain and fitness are just sickening.
Now that they introduced punitive laws against smoking in public places and £50 fines for dropping a butt on a filthy road, I look forward to the subsequent reduction in the cigarette taxes that fund the NHS.

because it keeps competition out of the market allowing them to consolidate their costs and maximise their profits. On top of that the cultural resistence that a ban will bring could make smoking cool again and boost their customer base. In short they're laughing all the way to the bank over it.

From the perspective of the NHS it's a bad thing because although smoking causes 1/3rd of the cancer they treat the revenue it generates pays for at least 2/3rds of the cancer they treat also they haven't factored in the costs of paying for the orthopedic and social care that those extra tens of thousand extra people will require. As the maxim in the department of health says "Drink more, smoke more. Solve the pensions crisis"

Also there is the negative cultural impact of society because one of the postive effects of smoking is that it aids free and creative thought which is why the Nazi smoking ban is considered an important element in limiting internal dissent when the war turned against them post 1942. Also if you look at the important artists, musicians, poets, philosopher and scientists throughout history you will find that they are almost without exception smokers.

Do I think there will be any protests planned against it? No because the right have managed to con the militant left into thinking that it's their idea and the laws be written to co-opt citizens in to subjects who have a legal duty to enforce the law meaning that civil-disobedience becomes an act of agression against your peers rather then the government.

"one of the postive effects of smoking is that it aids free and creative thought"- this one brightened up my morning :) care to offer any evidence whatsoever for this hilarious bollocks? and, no saying that lots of artists and scientists smoke isn't evidence (do I really need to explain why? ask one of your smoking scientists what counts as scientific evidence...) I for one am looking forward to not being poisoned every time I want to go to the pub or a gig.

that acts as a neurostimulant on dopamine production within the brain to create a sedative effect so it most certainly affects the way you think which is why the smokers camp hosts Einstein, Lennon and Marx while the non-smokers have Hitler and Mussloni.

Finally, can go down the pub without the stench of carcinogens going up my nose, and being able to leave with clothes that don't smell like an ashtray will be total bliss!

and a mild sedative effect is linked to creative thought how? oh, and sedative until you get cravings for the next fag of course. Listing famous people from before the link between smoking and cancer was well established really doesn't count for much either...