I don't know much about addiction, having never smoked myself, but I find that a poor excuse.

Have you been brainwashed to think that you don't have a choice?! Of course you have a choice!

I imagine you've only been smoking for a few years. My grandad smoked very heavily for about 55 years despite others telling him he shouldn't. Eventually his arteries clogged up and he had to have a triple heart bypass.

That's what it took for him to finally give up, and when he tells me it was difficult to do then I believe him. But if you've only been smoking for a few years, then I think think it's a cop out to say you are addicted as the reason you can't quit.

To counter the missing "addiction" my grandad grew a beard. Funny, you might think, but it's given him something to concentrate on rather than smoking.

But what's that got to do with smoking at a football match? Or in public places?

If smoking is, as HorshamEagle says, an addiction then surely if it is banned from public places it will not stop smokers from smoking. They will just have to do it in their own homes or something.

However, there will be less "smoking costs" for the NHS because you won't get non-smokers being admitted to hospital for smoking-related illnesses.

If smoking was banned in public places, I think we'd soon see just how addictive people find it.

Behind the bike shed?

But the argument here is to turn a block of seats where people smoke into a non smoking area. Tell me why is that fair? the smokers have agreed to do it away from everyone else in a confined area, so why try and and 2nd class us even more and stop it all together?

Ash is prevention of smoking, but i was commenting on their single mindess and the fact that they have come out with a statement that is incredibly obvious, but is also the tip of the iceberg with regards the NHS and it's blood suckers! They can only comment on the subject in hand, but it is a silly argument to make and one where many comparisons can be made!

Every little helps - You're totally right lee, me smoking at football does make a difference to you, but the difference is so small you will never feel the effects. If you were in a room with me and other smokers for a prolonged period of time then you would feel the effects. But the argument can be levelled at anything that lets out poisonous fumes. All vehicles are a danger to my health with their fumes, i don't drive, i don't expect others to stop driving, it's part of life which i have to accept, it's not a worry to my health because i realise the danger to my own health is minimal.

I'm not deliberately going out to hurt people, i'm partaking in a habit with which i have very little control over. Fair enough, i want to to smoke, it curves the nerves, it relaxes me, this doesn't mean i could stop smoking with a click of the fingers. With effort and willpower anyone can do anything, but why should i stop? Selfish view to take i know, but for once i'd like to to be selfish about something.

My comment about perhaps football is the wrong sport for premier fan was a silly one to make and one which was ill thought out and i apologise. Everyone is welcome at football, but this also means that smokers should be welcomed as much as the next person.

Do you know where hell is?

I agree that to tell someone who smokes not to, when they are sitting in a designated smoking area is not right.

I was fortunate in that when I first moved into the Holmesdale many years ago, the crowds were lower than what they are now and so I had the choice as to whether I wanted to sit in a smoking or no-smoking area. Unfortunately for people joining this season (whether they only be here for Premiership football or not) they will get limited choice as to where they sit. However when I applied for my seat in the Holmesdale I was made aware of the smoking/no smoking areas, and I'm sure times haven't changed. Therefore, if you are a non-smoker sitting in a smoking area then you do have to put up with it.

If I'm honest I'd prefer the whole stadium to be non-smoking but I admit that's just me seeing things through the eyes of a non-smoker who just wants to go to a football match and not worry about what I am inhaling.

I can understand why smokers would be against this.

What argument/statement is this that ASH have made? Or have I missed a post somewhere along the way? I'm sure your point is valid but I'm not entirely sure what it's referring to.

So what are your views on banning smoking in pubs and restaurants? I noticed a previous post where you said you were considerate when others were around, which is good to know, but in some pubs you get smoking/non-smoking areas even though (ventilation or not) it is still an enclosed space and there is still an effect on the non-smokers.

I accept your argument about smoking in an open stadium and driving fumes, but how often do you breathe in car fumes in a pub?

So will banning smoking in these places be allowed?

Sorry, it just came across from a previous post of yours that you wanted to quit but couldn't because you were addicted. I obviously misinterpreted it, so apologies.

Agreed...as long as they do it in the designated areas

Any idea what percentage and what kind of jobs we are talking about here? I'm just curious because I can think of any myself.

I also don't think it's the strictest form of tyranny. That's taking it way too far. It's like I could say stopping people from murdering each other is not democracy or freedom, but the strictest form of tyranny. It's extreme to say the least.

All it is is another law for people to follow. No one agrees with every single law.

Fortunately I don't work for the Government so don't have to figure this one out in depth, but how have New York managed it?

I agree revenue may be likely to fall but people who are addicted will continue to buy cigarettes. And people who aren't addicted, but perhaps smoke socially, will still go to bars and clubs. And maybe even more non-smokers will go out to bars and clubs?

A question for those who do smoke: Do you go to pubs/bars/clubs to smoke? Or do you go to socialise with mates? I know for many that both come hand in hand, but what I'm getting at is if smoking was banned in public places, and pubs and restaurants, would you confine yourselves to your homes or would you still go out and socialise with your mates?

Being a non-smoker I don't know the answer to that, as the only reason I go to pubs is to meet mates, so I'd be interested in your opinions.

So if you were prevented from smoking for 90 minutes every other week (or every week if you go to away games) then you would stop coming to Palace altogether? Really? You would turn your back on Palace and football for the sake of those 3/4 cigarettes you get through each game?

But the whole country wouldn't stop smoking. If there was a ban then it would be in public places. Yes, that would mean a decrease in income through this way, but I don't think it would be so drastic that this country would slide into a massive decline.

But if someone can prove otherwise with reliable sources of information then I'm happy to re-evaluate my views. To be honest though, I think there's very little we know (both smokers and non-smokers) about the facts and likely outcomes of any bans compared to the Government, who I'm sure would only introduce smoking bans if they knew it would be beneficial.