| Since July 1st, much of the country has been | | | | littered with cigarette ends. |
| rejoicing at the introduction of a smoking ban in the | | | | Our children are now expected to pass through |
| UK. It is now against the law to smoke in any public | | | | people drinking and smoking on the street just so |
| building including pubs and restaurants. Now people | | | | that they can get to the local shop, breathing in |
| can enjoy an evening out without fear of returning | | | | smoke as they go. They are involuntarily listening to |
| home stinking of cigarette smoke. | | | | 'adult' language and conversation drifting through open |
| But has anyone stopped to think just how such a | | | | windows whilst they try and sleep at night. What is |
| ban is effecting small rural communities in England and | | | | this teaching our children? ...That drinking on our |
| particularly the children who live there. Our quiet | | | | streets is acceptable?...That dropping litter on our |
| villages have already seen a change in character and | | | | streets is OK? |
| for those who reside in the heart of these villages, | | | | Our children need protecting from alcohol and smoke |
| this change is not a positive one. Noise levels, late | | | | but now they are more subjected to it than ever. |
| into the evening, seven days a week, have increased | | | | This may be a culture that our larger towns and |
| dramatically with drinkers now spilling out onto our | | | | cities have always been subjected to but not so our |
| pavements so that they continue their smoking habit | | | | rural communities........at least not until the smoking ban |
| and very morning the pavements and roads are | | | | was introduced. |