Nonsense on the High Seas

The government now intends to introduce smoking regulations at sea. To be precise the ban will be inflicted on all vessels with crews and passengers sailing up to 12 miles off the coast and on inland waterways and will not just apply to UK registered ships but to ships of all flags.

See:
http://www.eveningstar.co.uk/content/eveningstar/news/story.aspx?brand=ESTOnline&category=News&tBrand=ESTOnline&tCategory=news&itemid=IPED11%20Jul%202007%2007%3A05%3A43%3A097

Now, it would be untrue to say that the government has finally gone completely nuts because it reached that point some time ago where smoking bans are concerned. However, unable to enforce its ban on land properly with resistance growing daily, HMG spreads its idiocy even further.

This ban at sea will yet another law which will be flouted regularly and easily in many cases by both passengers and sailors. Imagine too, the crazy picture of the Royal Navy having to board foreign ships just to see if someone is smoking in an off limits area. Well, oh yes I can. The Royal Navy is in a terrible state with Gordon Brown just having mothballed half the fleet. What better role for our hard pressed matelots (many of whom smoke themselves) than to play nanny on the high seas? Did someone say: "Rule Britannia"?

Blad Tolstoy