One of the most important social trends of the 2000s, in my opinion, was the war on smoking. Though I believe it began in small ways starting in the 80s, the 00s was really when Western countries started to get tough on smoking.

I remember back in the late 90s many restaurants still had ash trays and smoking sections, today the only place you can smoke pretty much is outside your own home.

I remember the first time I vacationed in Canada, my brother bought a pack of cigarettes and I was shocking to see a gory picture of a smoker's stroke-affected brain on the carton. They were considering putting frightening pictures on cartons in the US but blocked it, personally I don't think it's a bad idea as much as I hate gory imagery, if it will even get one person to think twice about smoking. I've heard they do it in France as well.

I also saw a very disturbing anti-smoking ad on TV. Now I don't really approve of that. Punish the smokers with gory imagery for their own good yes, but not television viewers, who include children.

The pubs around here are a real hive of activity since the smoking ban, full to bursting with all the non-smokers who complained they never went to the pub due to the smoke

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_mrNQBLSMU

In Germany it was a late 00s thing. Smoking was allowed in restaurants, clubs, cafés, shopping malls and bars until as late as 2007/08. I don't remember 'no smoking' areas before that time and there was absolutely no possibility to avoid smoke when you wanted to go out. For a long time I associated restaurant visists with tobacco-smelling clothes afterwards. Nobody cared - not even, when kids were present. I still remember that it was not uncommon to smell smoke in official buildings  - especially in the 90s.

I am so happy that this is over now for more than 5 years. Today we've got either full no smoking restaurants or seperated smoking rooms. Smoking is also not allowed in official buildings, airports or train stations. A lot of people complained but for me it was a relief.

At least your smoking ban contains an element of choice Inlandsvägen as you say some places have separate smoking rooms. I presume the law is different depending on which part of Germany you're in?

Our ban in Scotland is possibly the most illiberal indoor ban in the world as it even applies to theatrical plays and film studios. Even the Californians don't do that for obvious reasons.

I presume the law is different depending on which part of Germany you're in?


Yes, it is slightly different. In Bavaria for example they don't allow seperate rooms in restaurants. All locations have to be completely smoke-free.

Yes, it is slightly different. In Bavaria for example they don't allow seperate rooms in restaurants. All locations have to be completely smoke-free.


Well its good that  you can breathe

I remember back in the late 90s many restaurants still had ash trays and smoking sections, today the only place you can smoke pretty much is outside your own home.


I remember when you could smoke in restaurants and people were using ashtrays and you either chose "smoking OR "non-smoking" areas.

I remember when you could smoke in restaurants and people were using ashtrays and you either chose "smoking OR "non-smoking" areas.


Remember these?  :o :o :o

http://www.tias.com/stores/jjt/pictures/d982a.jpg

http://s.ecrater.com/stores/43503/47d2e570a80ef_43503n.jpg

That trend is starting to die now but perhaps it's because there are less smokers now.  :-\\

I remember when there was smoking everywhere, even in hospitals.  It was awful, cigarette butts were everywhere and I was one of those people who would have to leave places because of my asthma, which was never a big problem, unless I was around cigarette smoke.  I am glad of the ban on smoking because it does affect the health of the people around you, and because of the trash associated with it.  Even today, when I go to breakfast, the litter around the street will be butts from the bar next door, even though they have an outside astray people still throw the butts on the ground.

Add the fact that tobacco companies added addictive chemicals to the tobacco to increase sales and vigorously marketed to children.  I remember candy cigarettes, not being able to wait until I was old enough to smoke real ones, and being able to walk into a store at 10 years old to buy a pack.

....and let us not forget,  the Marlboro Man died of lung cancer after smoking since the age of 12, and went on an anti smoking crusade before he died.

I remember when there was smoking everywhere, even in hospitals. 


Yeah, I almost forgot!

I was in hospital in July 2007 and it was still allowed in Germany. I don't think it was allowed in the public areas, but there was smoke creeping out of the nurse's rooms and you could smell it even in your room...

Even in the hospital's café - you couldn't breathe... and this at a place where ill people come to eat and drink with their visitors!!!

On August 1st it was over. It changed over night and I could actually experience it ;)

Remember these?  :o :o :o

http://www.tias.com/stores/jjt/pictures/d982a.jpg

http://s.ecrater.com/stores/43503/47d2e570a80ef_43503n.jpg


They did away with those long time ago.

That trend is starting to die now but perhaps it's because there are less smokers now.  :-\\


Because people are now smoking outside.

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/7/2009/07/joe_camel.gif

Who remembers Joe Camel?

Remember these?  :o :o :o

http://www.tias.com/stores/jjt/pictures/d982a.jpg

http://s.ecrater.com/stores/43503/47d2e570a80ef_43503n.jpg


I sher do.  Reminds me of hanging out at McD's after school with my so-called friends back in the '80s.  I was the only one in my group who didn't smoke, so I'd end up smelling like a smoker anyway!

The thing is, if they started printing gory pictures on ciggy packs here, I'd buy them.  Collect them all!  The burned out lungs, the tumorous tongues, the cancerous bellies, I'd buy sell and trade!
:P

I remember when there was smoking everywhere, even in hospitals.  It was awful, cigarette butts were everywhere and I was one of those people who would have to leave places because of my asthma, which was never a big problem, unless I was around cigarette smoke.  I am glad of the ban on smoking because it does affect the health of the people around you, and because of the trash associated with it.  Even today, when I go to breakfast, the litter around the street will be butts from the bar next door, even though they have an outside astray people still throw the butts on the ground.


That certainly takes me back. When my Grandfather was in the hospital recovering from a heart attack, my family used to always go eat at the McDonald's located on the bottom floor near the cafeteria. Inside the restaurant they had this huge "smoking area" (which was really nothing more than a little enclosed room from which the secondhand smoke would escape anytime somebody opened the door), and with my Grandma essentially being a chain smoker, we obviously spent alot of time in there. To make matters worse, I also have asthma, but didn't know it as a kid back then.

There was also a Burger King in our area that had a "smoking area", which literally was just an "area"; a row of seats on the left side of the restaurant that had ash trays on the tables. Like that's going to keep people from breathing smoke on the other side of the building! Well, at least they were polite enough to only allow smoking in one defined area, most restaurants and stores in this area had no such restrictions at all. Sometimes I honestly wonder how I survived my childhood.

By the way, all of this continued into the early 2000's here.

I was the only one in my group who didn't smoke, so I'd end up smelling like a smoker anyway!

That's what happened to me, I'd come home smelling like I smoked but I never did.

I remember in the first half of the 90's smoking was allowed in fast food restaurants.  I was on the high school baseball team and half of the team smoked (me included), after each game we went to McDonald's for a snack and to smoke.  One night there was a family with little kids in the next section, and one of the little kids was having an asthma attach from our smoke, so we all took our cigarettes outside.  We came back it to apologize since we assumed it was our smoke that caused it.  We all agreed that smoking inside was bad, but we continued to do it until it was banned.  I just recently quit smoking