3 reactions to this article

Christophe posted: 05-07-2008 | 8:42 AM

Dear Editor,

Something that amazed me through the news these last weeks is that nobody highlighted the health advantages of the smoking ban and how many lives of passive smokers such as bar waiters might be solved. All the talk is about the poor smokers and their lost of freedom...
I used to be a smoker so I know the subject from both sides. I always made sure that I was annoying nobody when smoking, even if it meant going outside. There is a French motto stating that personal freedom stops where others' freedom starts.

2 years ago my wife became pregnant. We were shocked to discover that NOBODY care. Many times when staying in restaurants we have seen people sitting next to us (e.g. arriving AFTER us)and lighting their cigarettes even without asking if the smoke was a problem for us. If we were unhappy, it was to us to move away. No need to say that we stopped frequenting bars very quickly as well.

Dutch people are usually great and nice. But when it comes to smoking and to a few other of what we consider as basic politeness rules (such as holding doors or thanking when you give way), they are among the worst. Go everywhere else, including in my own country known for its limited respect of rules: smokers respect pregnant women and babies. Very seldom here.

So maybe are we the only ones but all foreigners I know around us are very happy that finally smoking is banned from public places and restaurants in The Netherlands! Our only wonder is how much the law will be respected...

Kind Regards, Christophe Cognard

PS: Anyway we agree that banning smoking in Coffee Shops is completely stupid, except if you wish to close them.

steve posted: 13-08-2008 | 2:37 AM

I though we had beaten the Nazis in 1945, if some people don't like smoky coffee shops, don't go in, simple, if you don't want to risk your health working in a smoky atmosphere, look for a job somewhere else, a smoker will gladly work there, free world? no way free to do exactly as you are told by a governmental system the arrogantly ignores the will of the PEOPLE!

Christophe posted: 13-08-2008 | 11:00 AM

That's exactly the kind of reaction that shows the huge culture gap between Holland and other countries. Your reaction shows also that OUR freedom is limited by YOUR freedom. And that you don't care about OUR freedom because you belive that YOUR freedom is more important.

In my opinion, this is not freedom, this is anarchy where the law of the strongest prevails, where the ones who shout the most will always succeed. If we go further in this direction, we go back to the wild west where the ones who carry the biggest guns will be kings. I'm excessive? Maybe but you were the ones mentioning the Nazis.

By the way, are you sure that this is the will of the PEOPLE - as you stated - or the will of the SMOKERS, which is very different. I know not a single non-smokers who is happy to stay in a smoking environment and I believe there are the majority in the country.

You know, living in a society means - in my opinion - making compromises. I don't go to coffee shops and I would feel absolutely confortable with defining smoking and non-smoking restaurants and such other places. My point is that until now nobody was caring for the non-smokers. And as nobody was, then the government has to interfere. I am not in favor of having the government ruling my life. Trust me.

But what do you think of people who comes AFTER us and start smoking? Do we have to prevent going in ANY restaurant (once again, I'm not talking about bars) because a minority (yes, once again you are a minority) do not want to compromise or do efforts??