UK: Electronic cigs banned from pub

[jamie]

Electronic cigs banned from pub - Blackpool Today

Electronic cigs banned from pub
02 April 2009

A FURIOUS smoker has hit out at a local pub after he was banned from using an electronic cigarette.

Derek Green says he has never had a problem at other venues when he has been inhaling the 'e-cigarette', which does not contain tobacco and does not create smoke, although they do emit a vapour or mist.

"I have used it in other bars and restaurants and never had a problem before. I always ask, just to be polite, and once I explain what they are to people they always say it is fine."

A spokesman for Harvester Queensway said: "These cigarettes look and behave like a standard cigarette but their use is relatively uncommon in the restaurant. Therefore to avoid any confusion for our staff or customers the gentleman was asked and agreed to smoke in the designated external area."


Anti-smoking group Ash says many of the products are made in China, where quality control is "not very good."

Includes:
Today's Vote
SHOULD pubs ban electronic cigarettes?

 

[ApOsTle51]

why's he whinging , at the end of the day we all know the decision rests with the landlord of the pub/bar. Managment refuse the right etc...

If the guys never had problems "at other venues" then i suggest to stick to those venues in the future

 

[Lorddrek]

Anti-smoking group Ash says many of the products are made in China, where quality control is "not very good."

It gives me warm fuzzies to know people like Ash are truly concerned for my safety.

 

[Frankie]

I am very concerned. I heard they still serve alcohol in some pubs. There should be a law banning this. For public health reasons and general good.

 

[surbitonPete]

Hopefully the pub will loose all the smokers to other pubs and close.

 

[Chrissie]

Posted & voted

 

[Chrissie]

The vote is very close at the moment, 48% in agreement of a ban & 52% against.

The vaping community needs you all to vote

 

[taukimada]

why's he whinging , at the end of the day we all know the decision rests with the landlord of the pub/bar. Managment refuse the right etc...

If the guys never had problems "at other venues" then i suggest to stick to those venues in the future

Apo.. with your luck he'll show up whining at a pub you happen to be at

 

[Rorschach]

I really don't see why one should be upset about not being allowed to vape at a pub.

It's not the vaper's property and it causes confusion.
Besides, all the rest of the smokers go outside so what's wrong with joining them?

 

[ApOsTle51]

Apo.. with your luck he'll show up whining at a pub you happen to be at

ahaha , yeah no doubt. Still if im in the pub , at least he'll know he can vape there

 

[incineradma]

I thought at first you were using "pub" as shortened form for "public" and I freaked out. XD

IMO the pub owner should invest in e-cigs so the confusion ends.

 

[hedgehog]

I see the article has been given a brief mention on the Guardian website.

The Northerner: April Fools and (genuine) electric cigarettes | UK news | guardian.co.uk

 

[surbitonPete]

What's going on while I logged onto that site to make a comment ...the voting went shooting up to 63 % in favour of banning e-cigs?????????????????????

 

[Chrissie]

I'm wondering the same thing Pete. I put a link to it in my eBay e-cig group & I know for certain that at least one person has voted against the ban within the last few minutes.

 

[surbitonPete]

I'm wondering the same thing Pete. I put a link to it in my eBay e-cig group & I know for certain that at least one person has voted against the ban within the last few minutes.

It makes me feel like it's some kind of conspiracy rather than an honest vote.

 

[Chrissie]

I'm thinking the same thing Pete. Especially as most of the comments left are in favour of the e-cig & against the ban.

Maybe the harvester pub chain are voting yes to the ban to save face?

 

[0ogier]

Just wondering what colour LED/ body of Ecig the person was using.

Ive always had less hassle/stern looks when ive been using the red or black coloured bodies with blue LEDs.



0ogier

 

[surbitonPete]

I'm thinking the same thing Pete. Especially as most of the comments left are in favour of the e-cig & against the ban.

Maybe the harvester pub chain are voting yes to the ban to save face?

Nothing would surprise me Chrissie....they would have known all about the report going online.

 

[jerimiah797]

It's probably a case of an ethically conservative mailing list / phone tree that got activated and people are voting who don't know anything about the issue. They were just told to go to the URL and vote for the ban. This happens a lot with open internet polls. We were essentially doing the same thing, being encouraged to vote in a local poll. There's no way to win these things, and they are so unscientific and statistically tainted that they are irrelevant anyway.

 

[jamie]

Reference to the article elsewhere:
The Northerner: April Fools and (genuine) electric cigarettes | UK news | guardian.co.uk

The sunny weather has put me in mind of Blackpool, and the Gazette there lives up to its fine record of discovering unexpected stories. I might have led a sheltered life, but I had never heard of an "electronic cigarette" until I read Emma Harris's piece about a man being banned from a pub for using one.

The victim is described in correct local newspaper argot as Furious Smoker Derek Green, and his gadget is battery-powered and made of stainless steel, but looks like a real ciggy. It also emits "a vapour or mist" as it – supposedly – supplies its user with a nicotine dose but no tobacco or tar.

Green was polite initially, specially asking permission and promising not to use the device in the restaurant, just the bar. But the Harvester in Lytham St Annes took the view that other customers would not know the difference and resentment might result.

I shall now be on the lookout for e-cigarettes, although I suspect that their life in public places may be brief. Australia has already banned them and the anti-smoking group Ash tells the Gazette that many are made in China "with dubious quality control".