England Follows New York In No Smoking In Bars

I'm with Jil. This is stupid and people have a right to be angry.

Britain has announced it will become the latest European country to ban smoking in public spaces from next July, but a hardcore of opposition persists in the teeth of broad public support.

British artist David Hockney is among those outraged at the ban, which will follow similar moves in Ireland, France Scotland, Italy and Lithuania.

"Pubs aren't health clubs. What do you go to a pub for?," said the artist, who has warned that move will "destroy bohemia" and described those who proposed it as "absolutely dreary".

"You have an area where people can smoke and an area where people cannot smoke. That's what a decent country would do," he added Friday.

The smoking ban annoucement comes after a vast majority of lawmakers backed the ban, which applies to all enclosed public spaces as well as some work spaces, in a vote in February.

Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt has hailed the move, covering places like pubs, bars and restaurants, as "a triumph for public health", while cancer and other health charities say it represents a major step forward.

But opponents of the ban have yet to be won around.

Smokers' lobby group Forest described the ban as "draconian".

"From July next year, it will not only be illegal to smoke in every pub, club and bar in the country, it will even be impossible to set up a private club run by smokers for smokers.

Yes I smoke and love smoke-filled bars. So throw stones at me if you must.

My theory: When the air gets so fetid as to kill most of you, we smokers will have a leg up and will survive. Another notch in Darwin's belt.

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