Smoking in pokie parlours

[Admin1]

Its interesting to see pokie operators losing big bucks because of the no smoking rules in Victoria, Australia. See Daily Telegraph (http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,6067268%255E462,00.html) for details.

What do you think about smoking and playing slot machines?
<FORM METHOD=POST ACTION="http://www.pokiemagic.com/webboard/ubbthreads/dopoll.php"><INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME="pollname" VALUE="1046686367Administrator">


Should smoking be banned in gaming rooms?
<input type="radio" name="option" value="1" />Yes: Ban smoking
<input type="radio" name="option" value="2" />No: Smoking is ok
<INPUT TYPE=Submit NAME=Submit VALUE="Submit vote" class="buttons"></form>

[Spyone1 (Greg)]

Just a quick suggestion....if possible, add a third option

"Yes, smoking is okay, provided there is a non-smoking section"

.....which would be my answer...

[stu]

I also agree that smoking is ok as long is there is a smoking and a non smoking area

[Spyone1 (Greg)]

They are now talking about banning smoking in all clubs in Canberra. Given that the huge majority of their income is generated by pokies...and a large proportion of people gambling are smokers, I wonder how it will go!!

[Sue]

Greg dunno, but maybe the threat of possible law suits out weighs the other concerns..

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[Kitkat]

It doesn't worry me that people smoke while playing the pokies, but when smokers sit at non smoking machines and then start puffing away, that annoys me.

[Annsheree]

Here in SA, it has been approved and come into effect in 2005 that smoking will be banned in all pokie places and also within 2 meters of where drinks are served!! (smoking in food areas is already banned which i agree with)

Think they are gonna lose alot more business than they think! Most people i know are smokers and pokie players and all of them said they just wont go play anymore if they have to go outside to have a smoke....as it takes more than 3 mintues to have a smoke without suking it down so fast you get headspins and you can only reserve your machine for 3 minutes!! They will have alot more fights also over how long someone has reserved their machine for when others wanna play it as not all machines have a reserve button that counts down the 3 minutes.

[Dionss]

this has already happenend in melbourne and the venues are really pushing to get customers in offering buy one get one free meal or give you five dollars free credits if you give them five dollars etc they are really suffering since the smoking ban you can go in now and the places are empty, therefore we are winning even less than we were b4 b/c noone is playing the machines

[Sue]

I am sure that a lot of smokers will return after the first rush of annoyance is over (about the ban). Lets face it, a lot of people that could have stopped playing the pokies that easily would have by now....

[Buttonpusher]

I don't know about that Sue as a lot of people go to play the pokies as it is one of the few places around where you can go have some fun and a smoke but if you can't have a smoke anymore then there goes having fun and how long will it be before they ban smoking outside the club or pub like they have at hospitals

[Sue]

Oh I do understand about people relaxing and playing the pokies while having a drink and a smoke..I worked in a pub for years with a Pokie Room...

Dont though, under estimate the anti smoking lobby and the very real threat that these establishments face from law suits over passive smokers and also from smokers. Working in the office side of the hotel as well, I saw a lot of documentation coming through from the hotels assoc and various other bodies regarding insurances and lots of legal type issues...From the stuff that I saw the hotels are running scared.

[Buttonpusher]

I understand the legal complications involved with the industry, but if the government [or the Anti Smoking Lobby]was really serious about wanting people to quit smoking then they would provide free quit smoking devices to all the smokers who wish to give it up but as it is if you want to give up smoking it cost you a fortune on patches, tablets, gum and any other means of quitting other than cold turkey.
Whereas if you are a heroin addict you are given free methadone and all the support and counseling you need and lets face it smokers pay the highest amount of tax on each cigarette than any other single commodity and are the most discriminated against minority in the country.

[Sue]

That is it in a nut shell Tanya, the government would lose too much money if people gave up smoking ..just dont smoke them where companies are liable for law suits...Very similar to the Pokie taxes and the gambling issue...

[Buttonpusher]

The old do as I say not as I do. Did you know politicians don't pay tax on cigarettes as they get them duty free and same with their alcohol or they didn't last time I checked

[Sue]

/webboard/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/15saywha.gif Wouldnt surprise me actually...

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Woooohooo,

I love a good debate, especially when I am a smoker and its about smoking. However I am a person who can see both sides of the story per say.

Pro Side to no smoking in public places.
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Introducing the no smoking laws in public places such as clubs and restaraunts is a great idea. Lets face it " Smoker buddies " How many times have you just lit up a fag oooooppppps cant say that now hhehehe, a smoke.... without even the slightest concrn for the person next to you. Even I have to admit I have done it quite a few times. That person next to us might not be a smoker and down the track, due to excessive smoke exhailed in their direction may find themselves suffering for it. Yes they have a choice to move away but in a lot of situations they cant get away therefor put up with it. Its is the nature of a human being to rebel against the norms of life and this is why it stirs so many smokers up. Its a big change to put up with, maybe we have gotten used to the old days too much. I still think that Clubs and restaraunts should have seperated areas for both one being partially left outside in the open but mainly sheltered from rain etc. Then there is a clear choice for both parties.

Against Non Smoking rule
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Smokers have been around for 100 of years, at first they were free, then as ruling govts realised the money potential they started taxing them. That fine, but one other user here stated, why not ( if they were absolutely serious about this topic ) supply everything free like they do drug addicts. Unfortunately in the grand scheme of things drug addicts account for approx 60 to 70% of a robberies, hold ups and home intrusions, not to mention overdoses. This is extremely costly to the govts concerned as they use a great deal of medical resources. Cigarette smoking if far less expensive medically, you cant OD on it, you wont rip off a house, mug a person or hold up a store for you next fix of nicotene. However saying that, I only think the respective govts are bowing to the ever increasing majority of people and trying to look like they are doing something when really what they are doing now started over 10 yrs ago and still not finished yet. The govt doesnt want you to sop buying smokes, they make to much from them, more than the national cost per year for the medical conditions it * MAY * cause. They are profiting.

I guess all in all, this will be something bought in so gradually that you and I will be in our 80's not really going anywhere anyway to worry about whether you can smoke or not....... HeHeHeHeHe

As a fellow smoker I will only point out to those of you here that dont smoke, Thank your lucky stars that those who do smoke normally drink more than you as well, thus they are paying quite heavy taxes. These tax " smokers and drinkers " pay keep your income tax down to reasonable levels. Every year thousands of people give up smoking and every year we have some increase in some tax. You do the maths.

Thats my 10 cents worth hhhehehe

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[Sue]

Yee Haa! Russell well done and well said...It would be interesting to see some figures on the taxes collected on Tobacco, Alcohol and Pokies... I think they would be astounding..

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