Make that smoker suffer!

Smoking is bad. It's very bad. Naughty naughty naughty smoker. Tut tut.


There's a new smoking policy in England since the 1st of July. Smoking is prohibited from all public places. That includes bars, pubs, clubs, halls of residence ... actually any closed space in England. It is against the law to smoke virtually everywhere except outside. It's a policy with good intentions. If you are not a smoker you do not have to stand the smoke coming from a table next to you. If you also take into account the fact that about 500 people die due to passive smoking every year (which is a statistic that I'm quite interested to find out how it was obtained nevertheless), I completely understand this and I am willing to follow this rule in spite of the fact that it makes me enjoy having a drink much less.

Of course this policy applies to my hall of residence. It is now ILLEGAL to smoke in your room. Again, I am willing to have my smoke outside. I am about to quit anyway.


Just to make it clear, it is ENGLAND that we are talking about. The rainiest place on earth. The place where it rains daily regardless of the month. In my hall of residence, there is a small shelter right outside my block. This is where smokers smoke when it is raining (at least the smokers that do not wish to catch pneumonia). Today I just saw an announcement from the warden saying that due to the fact that smoke comes through the windows of some residents' flats, smokers now should be standing at least five meters from their block entrance. Yeah, that's right: In the rain! For your information: Due to insurance policy, the vast majority of the flats' windows are not allowed to be wide open, but rather approximately 15 centimeters. The half of your computer screen (if not even less).



Okay, I've stated that I am in favor of the whole anti-smoking movement in England right now. Just because of this kind of behavior, however, I feel obliged to revolt! Before applying for my residence, I was asked whether I was a smoker or not. Just like all the other smokers, I replied positively, which means that the Hall management was aware of the smoker's percentage (which judging from the number of Greeks here in Manchester, could not be low). I am not asking for special treatment, I am asking for consideration. There might be a point in trying to save someone from lung cancer by giving him pneumonia, but this "lesser of two evils" policy is just stupid.

I took it out of my system. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date with pneumonia.