With smoking likely to be banned from Hamilton’s bus station, The Royal Gazette took to the streets to discover public opinion on the issue.A casual poll in and around the Hubert W (Sparky) Lightbourne Central Bus Terminal found younger people less welcoming of the ban than their elders.“I was made to understand that the law would come into effect soon,” said a bus terminal employee, who asked not to be named.“Just the other day I saw a guy sit down at a bench right between two seniors and light up a cigarette. It’s terrible. It leaves a big mess here, and the homeless are the worst for leaving their mess behind in here.”Transport Minister Terry Lister has considered extending the ban to bus stops as well.“Personally, I could agree with getting rid of it in the bus terminal,” a taxi driver who didn’t want to be identified said. “But bus stops, that’s different. They don’t need to mess with people there.”Insurance executive Gary Weller, 54, called the proposal “a sign of the times”.“Smoking is being banned in public places the world over, and the bus terminal is in the same category,” he said.“Bus terminals and bus stops are frequented by lots of children. From a health point of view, due to the ill effects of second-hand smoke, I agree with it.”Said office worker Stephen Mayor: “Banning smoking would probably help out with litter but it feels like a slap in the face to people who do smoke. I would think it’s a little fascist to make it a law.”Smoker Dae Smith, 27, also disagreed with the proposed law.“It’s an open area, not an enclosed building, so I don’t see why they’d do that,” he said.His 24-year-old friend Ty had not heard of plans to restrict where the public can light up.“Honestly, that’s messed up,” he laughed. “We aren’t a menace. All smoke does is go up. I just don’t get it.”Senior citizen Gloria Johnson, however, called smoking “a nuisance” and approved of restricting it.“They leave butts all over the place, legal and not legal,” she said, pointing to the end of a hand-rolled cigarette on the bus terminal floor. “It should be gotten rid of.”A 47-year-old Hamilton Parish woman who works at LF Wade International Airport said the bus terminal gets crowded enough to warrant banning smoking.“Smokers are a minority,” she said. “I don’t know about bus stops, but the terminal is a congested place with a lot of children, so it should be banned. Smokers should have their own little corner set aside. Give them their own area.”Ex-smoker Stephen Aming, 55, of Middle Town, Pembroke said it should be banned from any public space “because it affects other people. People with asthma especially”.A 62-year-old restaurant worker and asthma sufferer agreed.“If you have that bad habit, don’t ruin other people’s lives with it,” she said. “Enough is enough. I can’t afford to give the doctor any more money.”