Smoking Ban

[Medoc]

I am a non smoker but I would say NO if people want to smoke thats their decsision, obviously there is no smoking indoors.

But I have a great idea!!!

Lets stop all drinking, smoking, eating foods with additives, laughing, telling jokes and anything else that might lead to having fun.

This is only our hobby, its supposed to be fun, who cares what anyone wants to put into their system?

For 99% of all archers just thinking about things a little more or practising more will add a significant amount of points compared to whether or not someone has had a drink or a fag or anything else.

[grantwomack]

I'd definitely like to see a smoking ban on the field at outdoor tournaments. I've been on a target with three heavy smokers before. It's terribly unpleasant to have to inhale smoke between each end. Their butts make a mess of the field and I go home smelling like smoke.
If people want to kill themselves, fine. But don't inflict it on other people.
Perhaps a ban on smoking during the shooting and only allow smoking during distance changes.

[Little Miss Purple]

I have to admit I have nearly thrown up at a competition after getting a mouthful of smoke - but as an ex-smoker I am very intolerant of smokers.....

just ask womble!!!!

[provins]

Smoking at outdoor comps shouldn't be banned unless theres a fire risk, on target shoots unlikely but possible.
Indoor shoots,well,its pretty obvious really isn,t it.
Of course it should be banned.Now we'll probably have some poor soul saying that they're at a disadvantage because lack of nicotine is affecting their performance.
Still thats life aint it.

[Marcus26]

Yes

Smoking is becoming rarer and rarer in public in AUstralia and you can not smoke inside in public now at all.
When I was in Madrid last year it was very noticable inside and outside just how much smoke you are breathing in.
I don't care what people do at home, take drugs, drink, smoke, watch Neighbours, couldn't care, but don't inflict those disgusting habits on me.

[doubletop]

ex smoker here i say yes ban it during actual shooting and shouldnt be allowed to smoke within say 10 metres of shooting line

[Rik]

I take it you mean a ban at GNAS competitions? Hell yes!
IIRC there is already a ban (at least at a certain level) at FITA competitions... It would be nice to see a blanket "no smoking in public places" ban, but I can't see the government having the guts to attempt that...

[Tarkwin]

To clarify my response...which was no.

I do smoke, but I have enough to think about on the shooting & waiting lines as it is without thinking 'where's my lighter?', should I have one now or wait until after the next end?

As to positive effects?

Increased heart rate
Increased blood pressure
toxic gases & other compounds hitting your brain, nervous system and muscles

Not what I would call positive - especially as what is now coursing through your veins is not super-oxygenated, but has carbon compounds (CO & CO2) and others. I don't think that anyone could argue that increased consumption of what is our exhaust gas & and are toxic in themselves, could be a boon to anyone.

I would argue that the calming effect is more due to a dependency on nicotine being fed than it actually calming me down. Is the anxiety being felt due to nerves over what you are about to take part in or just your body saying "I need nicotine", feeding the desire for nicotine makes the craving go away, reducing the dependancy related anxiety and injects mild euphoria..therefore you feel happier. Happier, but with increased heart rate.

Is any calming effect psychological? If you're having a crappy day at the office and you decide that you'll go out for a smoke. Are you calmer afterwards because you've sucked in nicotine, or because for those 10 mins or so, the phone didn't ring, you didn't have to answer any daft emails and your boss wasn't nagging you for that report? Your mind get's conditioned to thinking that you were calmer because you had a smoke...because you were, not that you were calmer because you took yourself away from the source of stress. Therefore when you feel nervous you automatically believe that a fag will cure you.

Depending upon the archers level of dependancy, any 'positive' effects will be lost only to have the need kick in a little later. This is not really much of an issue at outdoor events, because you can light up between ends - but you should not smoke around those who object or without asking them if they mind (don't bring up any argument about being in the open air...the smoke doesn't simply disappear). Indoor events however (and rightly so) should not be a place for smoking, the majority (unless you're at the Smoking Archers Indoor Champs, - where there would probably be smoking breaks anyway ) of those you are sharing the line will not be smokers and will not be expecting to encounter people smoking - unlike pubs as an example, any hall would quickly become unpleasant for everyone with archers, judges, supporters etc puffing away. It's hard enough as it is without having to shoot through a blue-grey haze with accompanying coughing and spluttering....

I find that if I haven't smoked for a while, sometimes hours more often days another side effect is dizziness - this certainly won't help anyone.

This is my take on how smoking affects me....and a vague understanding of biology and chemistry....probably not accurate.

sorry to have rambled so.....I must go out and have a smoke now

T.

[Thunk]

Outdoors - put the smokers together on their own target! Indoors - yes, definitely.

[Marli]

yes smoking should be banned outdoors and indoors (where it isnt already)