For our friends in all the other countries -- what is the attitude
toward smoking there? Do many people still smoke? Is it banned in
restaurants, public buildings, hotels and such?
Thanks for the info.--I was just curious.

Hi

Here in the UK it is currently legal to smoke pretty much anywhere but
a ban on smoking in pubs, clubs and restaurants etc etc will come into
effect in 2007 unless there is a legal challenge mounted by someone
(one hotel chain in Scotland is doing so- Scotland got its ban a few
weeks ago). People will still be allowed to smoke outside for the
moment. A lot of pubs over the last few years have had designated no
smoking areas and one chain (Witherspoons I think) have already banned
smoking inside their pubs although you can smoke in the beer gardens I
gather (I don't much care for their pubs so I am unlikely to find out)

Ironically as the houses of Parliament are a Royal Palace the laws of
the land do not apply so the MP's who voted this bill in, will still be
able to smoke in the warm at the bar while the rest of us plebs have to
freeze in winter

Most workplaces have some sort of smoking policy either allowing it in
designated areas or as with where I work not allowing it on site at
all- we can get sacked if we smoke even in the grounds. The irony is
our clinical director (Rabid anti-smoker) has an office that looks out
on a road, cross the road and you are not in the grounds and cannot be
touched. I am told (it's at another site) some smokers take great (if
somewhat childish)pleasure at smoking opposite his window so when he
looks out, he can see them but he can't sack them!


Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs