smoking ban (legislation, science)

[michel]

Ministers 'deal on smoking ban'
Ministers have reached agreement over plans for a smoking ban in pubs and restaurants in England.



Under the terms of the deal, smoking will be banned in enclosed public places and work places from 2007.

Private clubs will be exempt from the ban and separate "smoking rooms" will be allowed in pubs not selling food.

The Health Improvement Bill will be published on Wednesday. The deal was agreed only after days of wrangling between ministers.

'Practical issues'

A Downing Street spokesman said: "Smoking is a genuinely difficult issue ... which people come to from different perspectives."

Details on how the smoking rooms will work will be decided after a three month consultation process and set down in regulations.

The decision to exclude private clubs from the ban will be seen as a victory for Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt's predecessor John Reid, now defence secretary.

Earlier this month the government dropped plans he had put forward as health secretary of a partial ban, which excluded pubs and clubs which did not serve food.

Ministers said consultations had suggested the idea of a partial ban would be too hard to enforce and fail to meet health fears.

'Unworkable'

But there has been opposition to the idea of "smoking rooms": Labour's Dr Howard Stoate, a member of the Commons health committee, told BBC's Five Live that only a total smoking ban would be truly effective.

And Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell was seen to be leading criticism of the loophole allowing only "smoking carriage" rooms where staff would not work.

Trade unions have also opposed the move, saying that bar staff will still have to inhale smoke when they clean the special rooms.

Lib Dem health spokesman Steve Webb said: "It will only increase health inequalities to exempt pubs that do not serve food from this legislation."

Dr Vivienne Nathanson, head of science and ethics at the BMA, told BBC Radio 4's PM programme the proposals were "a huge step forward for the nation's health", but she feared they were "unworkable".

'Works in Dublin'

Former health secretary Frank Dobson told BBC Radio 4's World at One: "Obviously there are one or two people who don't like the clear straightforward, clean break policy of saying that there'll be a total ban on smoking in all public places.

"But my view is if you can do it in the bars of Dublin, as the Irish have done, you can do it anywhere."

A ban on smoking in all enclosed public places will begin in Scotland next March. Northern Ireland has also agreed a ban and one is already in place in the Republic of Ireland.

The plans are causing concern among publicans.

The Federation of Licensed Victuallers' Associations, which represents self-employed licensees, says a ban could mean a 10% fall in business.

The British Beer and Pubs Association wants limits on smoking at bars to be phased in.

But the British Medical Association is still pushing for a complete ban with no exceptions.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/h...cs/4373858.stm

Published: 2005/10/25 16:07:58 GMT

© BBC MMV

[Meesheltx]

The ban that was recently inacted in Dallas went well in my opinion. I remember going to dick's last resort the night before the ban...it was crazy! everybody in the place (cept me) lit up at 11:58pm and then at midnight it was all over!
I don't know much about how things in England work, but I think smoking rooms sound okay.do you have an opinion on this, Michel? Or were you just informing us of whats going on?

[michel]

Originally Posted by Meesheltx

The ban that was recently inacted in Dallas went well in my opinion. I remember going to dick's last resort the night before the ban...it was crazy! everybody in the place (cept me) lit up at 11:58pm and then at midnight it was all over!
I don't know much about how things in England work, but I think smoking rooms sound okay.do you have an opinion on this, Michel? Or were you just informing us of whats going on?

I hate to admit that I am very anti-smoking. Having been brought up in the belief that smoking was a social 'skill', I have been a heavy smoker. I managed to give up in 1993. My son had been begging me to give it up, because of the harm it was doing me; he now smokes.

I cannot understand how anyone who was born into the age of recognition of the dangers of smoking could ytake it up. I have also given up alcohol, but for a while I felt I couldn't go into bars because of the stench of smoke on my clothes, in my hair............

Of course I feel slightly guilty because I was doing the same once. I think I was somewhat less guilty because it was a social norm.

The main purpose was to update you guys; I have posted a few times against smoking, and have met with some comments about not infringing on personal rights.

[Terrywoodenpic]

There was a late development as the Ministers were not in full agreement on the details of the white paper.
So it will not get its first reading in parliament tomorrow, but it may on thursday.

Terry___________________________
Amen! Truly I say to you: Gather in my name. I am with you.