News & Comment
Minister accused of intolerance after branding smokers 'foul'
Tuesday 6th September 2011, posted by forest
Scotland's Environment Minister has blasted smokers who lit up in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh during a fireworks display.
Stewart Stevenson used Twitter to describe four people puffing away next to him as "foul". He also praised New York's ban on smoking in parks
Simon Clark, director of Forest, said: "Calling smokers 'foul' says more about Mr Stevenson than it does about smokers.
"It demonstrates an alarming intolerance towards a significant minority of the population.
"Not even the most rabid anti-smoker could argue that their health is endangered by someone lighting up outside. And if you don't like the smell there's a simple remedy. Walk away."
Mr Clark also said that tobacco raised billions of pounds for the Treasury, and called for smoking rooms in Scotland's pubs and clubs.
"Smokers have every right to smoke somewhere but, thanks to illiberal politicians like Stewart Stevenson and his pals in Holyrood, they are all forced to smoke outside," he added.
Paul Waterson, of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, said: "We certainly would not support any moves to ban smoking outside.
"Just because New York has done it does not mean to say it's right."
Mr Stevenson later tweeted saying: "No ban yet suggested by me. But we should (look] at whether New York experience helps or hinders.".
Source: Scotsman (6 September 2011)
Comments:
Posted on Oct 1st, 2011
Posted on Oct 6th, 2011
Do you not have a site to visit that actually interests YOU?????? Go find a site for anorack wearing bespecktacled bird watchers or something equally boring.
If you want to leave a comment like that, on a site which is trying to promote freedom to choose, you need to go and find somewhere else - somewhere that might actually involve something that you might choose to do and watch out for some nerd coming on and insulting you. Oh how rude. Where the hell ANYONE at all gets off thinking he can talk down to people I'll never know (perhaps you've had too many wine gums? Or some courage juice!! haha) Also OMG, I'm wasting time trying to converse with a muppet. Must go find something more interesting to do, like count how many wood-chips are in my wood-chipped papered hall, stairs and landing.
