| The Public supports a total smoking ban |
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| Monday, 22 August 2005 16:04 | |||
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A complete smoking ban, including all pubs and restaurants, is supported by 73% of the public according to a poll for Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) and Cancer research UK. New legislation will be put before parliament towards the end of this year calling for a ban on smoking in all pubs and restaurants serving catered food but will exempt pubs that do not serve food and private members clubs. The poll of 1,000 people, which is part of a public consultation on the proposed legislation, indicates that the majority of people would pefer a complete ban. Its finding show that 85% of people would visit bars and pubs as often or more often if smoking were banned. It is uncertain how many establishments would be exempt from the legislation. According to the government between 10% and 30% of establishments would not be affected but a report published last week said it could be as high as 80% in some areas. Ash director Deborah Arnott said the survey sent the government a clear message that the public wants immediate action to end secondhand smoke at work. "It now kills more than 600 people a year, three times the number of deaths from industrail accidents and it causes many thousands of asthma attacks and episodes of illness" she said. "The pointless and damaging exemptions for pubs and clubs must be dropped from the final bill. Smoke free legislation must be comprehensive if it is to be successful" she said. UNISON has repeatedly called on the government to act decisively on this issue. "We want them to put their money where their mouth is and remove these restrictions as this would save lives and reduce the high number of work-related ill health caused by public smoking, said UNISON health and safety officer Hope Daley.
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