Teen Michael Cottrell hits out at smokers
Michael Cottrell and his
friend Joseph Kilsby objecting to smoking outside shop doors
by Samantha Williams
sawilliams@thekmgroup.co.uk
A teenager has expressed his disgust at having to breathe
in other people's second-hand smoke when he walks through Ashford
town centre.
Michael Cottrell, 14, of Park Farm, said: “I find that in the
town centre all you see is people smoking, particularly near the
entrances to shops and McDonald’s.
“I – and a lot of people I know – are getting fed up with
walking around town and just having to hold our breath because we
do not want to inhale the smoke. You see people with babies smoking
around them and not giving a care – I hate that.”
Michael’s own mother, Wendy Cottrell, smokes, and this has made
him even more determined to never take up the smoking habit.
“I have never even tried it, and I never will,” he said. “I
think the reason a lot of teenagers start smoking is because they
see other people doing it and they want to try it; it’s peer
pressure basically.”
Michael says he is also fed up of teenagers being stereotyped as
smokers and troublemakers, which he says is inaccurate and
unjust.
He says he totally backs the ban on smoking in enclosed public
places that was introduced in 2007, but now believes that smoking
should be banned in busy pedestrian areas too.
The St Anselm’s, Canterbury, student added: “I feel that banning
smoking in ‘high traffic areas’ would be best, meaning that people
couldn’t smoke directly in the town but can smoke in areas like
alleyways or ‘lower traffic areas’.”
Ashford McDonald’s franchisee Chris Symons said: “We want to
ensure a safe, comfortable and welcoming environment is available
for all of our customers.
“We have been notified of some concern around smokers
congregating at the entrance of the restaurant.
“We will be monitoring this closely and will take action as
necessary.”
What the people of Ashford
think
Pro-smokers
James Goldfinger Hazeldon: “Why can’t people realise there are
more important things in life than worrying and moaning about
secondary smoke.”
Nicola Harper: “If all smokers stopped ... where is that tax
going to come from ..... your pockets!”
Micky Christie: “May as well ban cars and buses in town as well
because the fumes from them aren’t any good either.”
Hayley Giles: “I’m not a smoker but what people do is down to
them, you can’t smoke in pubs any more, no need to ban it anywhere
else. It isn’t going to stop people from smoking. If you don’t like
smokers then don’t walk behind them or near them.”
Lisa Todman: “Surely smokers are alienated enough.”
Sarah Kurkowski: “As long as there isn’t a risk to others, do
what you want. I smoke but have consideration for those that don’t
and only smoke in places where it’s safe, like out of the way of
busy areas and away from children.”
Lydia Jayne Weller: “There are many other issues much more
important than stopping people smoking.”
What the people of Ashford
think
Pro-smokers
James Goldfinger Hazeldon: “Why can’t people realise there are
more important things in life than worrying and moaning about
secondary smoke.”
Nicola Harper: “If all smokers stopped ... where is that tax
going to come from ..... your pockets!”
Micky Christie: “May as well ban cars and buses in town as well
because the fumes from them aren’t any good either.”
Hayley Giles: “I’m not a smoker but what people do is down to
them, you can’t smoke in pubs any more, no need to ban it anywhere
else. It isn’t going to stop people from smoking. If you don’t like
smokers then don’t walk behind them or near them.”
Lisa Todman: “Surely smokers are alienated enough.”
Sarah Kurkowski: “As long as there isn’t a risk to others, do
what you want. I smoke but have consideration for those that don’t
and only smoke in places where it’s safe, like out of the way of
busy areas and away from children.”
Lydia Jayne Weller: “There are many other issues much more
important than stopping people smoking.”
Anti-smokers
Paula Dawes: “At the William Harvey Hospital people literally
stand in front of the main doors chuffing away without any
consideration to the sick people, elderly, children and newborns
that are passing in and out. Have a bit of consideration!”
Hayley Martin: “I am asthmatic and I can’t breath when someone
is smoking around me. Walking behind someone who is puffing away is
vile especially for poor babies in buggies.”
Kayleigh Taylor: “As someone who has never smoked I don’t want
to breathe in second-hand smoke and I don’t want my kids too.
Standing right by doorways and breathing smoke over my kids isn’t
right.”
Sarah Conway: “I am a smoker but I do agree with the non-smokers
to an extent, when you’re walking into a shop and you have to walk
through a cloud of smoke that’s been breathed out by someone else
is it is nasty, especially for a child.”
Zoe Rushforth: “We should considered the huge costs to the NHS
from smoking related diseases. As for smoking outside, it’s better
that than inside - the pub smoking ban was brilliant.”
28/12/12
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