Just seen this. While I agree it is not good for you but really. Plus how do you enforce it. Can you ban a legal activity? Its one thing to say that an office is smoke free but in or around the barrack block where you live?
Smoking is banned on all of the defence estate.
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Not quite, it’s restricted to designated areas only AFAIK. What they’re looking at doing is out-right banning it within all defence areas. With no designated areas either.
I thought the out-right ban had already come into effect . . .
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Hmm, not that I’m aware of. Certainly still seem to see designated smoking areas at places I’ve been to?
to ban…as in going to? looking back this was discussed in a WhatsApp group in July…admittedly to be enforced later this year (looking at the below 1st September)
RAF Honnington are trying an all out ban with personnel getting three strikes before disciplinary action, as you can imagine the Regt Cpls aren’t giving anyone more than three strikes
That’s only because they use their chevrons to count so can’t get beyond 2
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So be prepared for crowds of people and lots of cars parked just outside the main gate so those that wish too may partake!
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As a reformed smoker (by which I mean I now vape the vast majority of the time), that gives me a good chuckle. Smoke-free policies don’t support anyone wanting to give up smoking. Unless they are properly thought through and executed, they also don’t reduce second-hand smoke. All they do is move the problem on.
A couple of years back, my local hospital banned smoking anywhere on site. Those who complied were grouped right next to the 2 entrances, so anyone walking in had no choice but to walk through clouds of second-hand smoke. Prior to the ban, the hospital had designated smoking shelters away from the buildings and main thoroughfares, meaning it was harder to avoid second-hand smoke after the policy was introduced…
True true…
But it keeps all the dirty tabbers away from non smokers like me 
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As a non smoker it is so much better with smoking bans in places although I do feel we have gone a bit too far. As with continental Europe, we can provide far better smoking shelters / booths for those who wish too, and as ACR says, blanket bans etc need to be coupled with far better campaigns and support for those to stop.
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This ban does seem like it’s going too far. Have designated smoking areas that are out of the way of everyone else. That way those who don’t smoke don’t need to be get near it but then those that do still have somewhere to go. Out-right banning it means smokers just try and get creative with where they can have a cig, leading to more problems.
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An out-right ban means CoC can through the book at anyone found breaking the rules 
Will be interesting to see how many just give up and stop because they can’t be bothered. Does the military check if people are smoking at annual health check ups etc? You would hope they have data to back the decision up.
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It’s a fair point. Hopefully the numbers are good.
Until it’s one of them.
Given they have justified in paragraph 1 in the
Image I shared above namely “smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death…” there is probably plenty of data to back that up…
I was thinking more army related evidence, so proportionally how much has smoking reduced due to the bans already in place etc
(It’s also interesting that more recent studies actually put obesity above Smoking as the leading cause of preventable mortality).
Good to know that everything in the Army’s world is so wonderful and problem free that this has become a thing. Given public and workplace and defence buildings have been non-smoking for years, there must be more important things that need doing. But this is one of the things that doesn’t really need anymore than an edict, so no real work required and back to the bar job done. Has someone new come on the scene and looking for a CV / greasy pole tick?
Does it stop people smoking or vaping other than in the work place?