Congrats, you found one establishment.

I find it hard to believe that this man was charged illegally by the government, he must have been in violation at some point, some where. If this man did have a private club that adhered to all the rules of the Act then he wouldn't have been convicted.

Even if everything that is written in this article is true and doesn't leave out any facts, it's one situation out of a ton more. If the Act was THAT harmful to business, there wouldn't be any left.

I'm not completely condoning the act, I know it doesn't allow people to smoke within 15 feet of a play ground and stuff, which is hard for parents who want to watch their kids properly and have a smoke outside, but when it comes to smoking inside public buildings, I completely support it.

"The Ontario government is breaking its own smoking ban laws and trying to stem mounting gaming revenue losses by providing expensive heated and roofed smoking shelters at its casinos.

The Windsor Star recently reported that Casino Windsor had been allocated $2.3 million for covered and heated outdoor shelters and another $250,000 has been spent on a similar shelter for the area’s raceway slots.

The government has or is building expensive shelters at other casinos and slots across the province, including Niagara Falls, which like Windsor has seen a massive drop in revenues since the smoking ban came into force last May 31."

- http://www.smokersclubinc.co m/modu...cle&sid=325 3

I could go on like this, but I think I've effectively disproved your statement that the Act hasn't hurt Businesses. It's good to know that the Government Owned Casino's are allowed to break the law... and spend millions of tax payer dollars doing it. Mac had to spend thousands tearing down its smoking shelters. Has it worked? Are smokers still puffing in your direction?

Another funny stat from the WHO report states that exposure to 2nd hand smoke when you're a child decreases your risk of lung cancer as a non-smoking adult. This result was the closest to being statistically significant of any of the study's findings.

It's important to understand the Math of relative risk.

According to the EPA, your chance of dying of Lung Cancer is increased by 25% with long term exposure to 2nd hand smoke. This sounds big right? Wrong.

According to the EPA your risks of dying of Lung Cancer as a non-smoker are:
1 in 80,000 (when exposed to 2nd hand smoke)
1 in 100,000 (when not exposed to 2nd hand smoke)

This translates into:
12.5 people out of 1,000,000 (exposed to 2nd hand smoke)
10 people out of 1,000,000 (not exposed)

A difference of 2.5 people out of 1,000,000 is not statistically significant, but 2.5 out of 10 is 25%.

Thus, according to the Government of Ontario's reference material (EPA & WHO) of the 11.4 Million people alive today in Ontario, this act will save 28.5 of them. If we apply this Act to the 33.2 Million Canadians, we'd save 83 of them. This isn't an 83 per year statistic... this is 83 of the 33.2 Million Canadians alive today will not die of Lung Cancer thanks to the Act.

If every province passed a Smoke Free Act, we could save 0.0000025% of Canadians from Lung Cancer!

Remember, I'm not making these numbers up. I'm using the statistics the Government cites as being the reasoning behind the act.

Wow.
I didn't mean to spark some psychotic war here.
I am, however, wondering how restaurants have smoking indoors then?
And yeah, I guess your right about having it on the patio in the summer, but then again, like someone said already, more than half the school year is in winter.

Also, it's not smoke smoke that we are talking about; it's simply water and coffee beans going into the air. Mhm. But that's cool, it was simply an idea someone brought up and I just thought I should elaborate.

Originally Posted by Alex McColl

\

The Windsor Star recently reported that Casino Windsor had been allocated $2.3 million for covered and heated outdoor shelters and another $250,000 has been spent on a similar shelter for the area’s raceway slots.

The government has or is building expensive shelters at other casinos and slots across the province, including Niagara Falls, which like Windsor has seen a massive drop in revenues since the smoking ban came into force last May 31."

You wanna complain about how your money is being used in the government then go to higher powers, that's not what we're talking about here. I'm not talking about casino's, I'm talking about bars and restaurants and cafes that people visit on a daily or weekly basis.

Originally Posted by Alex McColl

Mac had to spend thousands tearing down its smoking shelters. Has it worked? Are smokers still puffing in your direction?

What on earth are you talking about? You haven't been gone that long. The smoking shelters are still all over campus, first years are still mistaking them for bus stops.

Originally Posted by Alex McColl

Another funny stat from the WHO report states that exposure to 2nd hand smoke when you're a child decreases your risk of lung cancer as a non-smoking adult. This result was the closest to being statistically significant of any of the study's findings.

So you're telling me that when my parents stopped smoking in the house when I was a child has nothing to do with the fact that I stopped getting sick as often and stopped having asthma attacks? I'd like to see this report if you'd be so inclined.

Originally Posted by Alex McColl

According to the EPA, your chance of dying of Lung Cancer is increased by 25% with long term exposure to 2nd hand smoke. This sounds big right? Wrong.

According to the EPA your risks of dying of Lung Cancer as a non-smoker are:
1 in 80,000 (when exposed to 2nd hand smoke)
1 in 100,000 (when not exposed to 2nd hand smoke)

This translates into:
12.5 people out of 1,000,000 (exposed to 2nd hand smoke)
10 people out of 1,000,000 (not exposed)

A difference of 2.5 people out of 1,000,000 is not statistically significant, but 2.5 out of 10 is 25%.

Thus, according to the Government of Ontario's reference material (EPA & WHO) of the 11.4 Million people alive today in Ontario, this act will save 28.5 of them. If we apply this Act to the 33.2 Million Canadians, we'd save 83 of them. This isn't an 83 per year statistic... this is 83 of the 33.2 Million Canadians alive today will not die of Lung Cancer thanks to the Act.

I'm not talking about DYING, I'm talking about BREATHING and being HEALTHY. This also does NOT take into account people with breathing issues. Have you ever had an asthma attack Alex? If not then you have NO IDEA what it feels like, as if someone was tightening a strap around your lungs. Smoke makes this a million times worse! Not to mention that smoke irritates peoples eyes, nasal passages and throat, whether they be asthmatic or not.

Show me that the Smoking Act has severely damaged local business, family owned restaurants, not big money making Casinos.

I remember hearing a lot of backlash from small businesses on the news when this act first came in. But, those little places at least in my town are still there!

I agree with you, Sabrina, on the breathing thing. I'm not asthmatic but I had grown up with a parent who smoked and I HATED IT. I hated restaurants that were half smoking and half non-smoking - it all still stunk. If it were still that way today, I would probably avoid giving the place my business if I could.

I'm extremely thankful for the changes I've seen over the years. It even got my dad to be more careful with where he smoked. Thankfully he's finally quit, but not without a trying battle with cancer, which we're still coping with. Seriously, smoking is just stupid - be it first hand, second, (third?)...

My biggest pet peeve is when you're walking to class or you're on a busy sidewalk and the person in front of you is smoking and you're forced to get that gulp of disgusting air. That really grinds my gears.. It's just gross.

Anyways, if you truly believe that the no-smoking act was a stupid thing with all your stats, then fine. All I can say is that I'm extremely thankful for the changes that I have seen and hope to crabs that they'll never go back.

So on Wednesday night it was raining when I was going into my night class in MDCL using the entrance closest to MUSC and The Pheonix. Guess what happened? In two of the three doorways there were people blocking the entrance while smoking; being completely inconsiderate of everyone else.

You're supposed to be 30m away from a building if you're smoking at McMaster. These people were less than a meter away as they were under the protection of MDCL's roof.

UGH.




Do you want to know why I support this ban?

I'm fairly scent-sensitive, so if I'm around cigarette smoke in certain areas I will actually get incredibly nauseated from the smell; and effect that normally lasts until I can take a shower to wash the smell of cigarettes out of my clothes and hair.

If you've ever been in an inclosed space full of smokers its disgusting. You walk out of there reaking of cigarette smoke, which is not a pleasant smell.

It seems as though you never went into any of the designated smoking areas before smoking was completely banned from inside, am I right?

The problem with your idea is its an image thing the school has to portray. Even if its not smoking its still associated with smoking.