Government will ‘take decisions’ on potential outdoor smoking ban
The Welsh Government has welcomed the Prime Minister’s plans to “take decisions” on a potential outdoor smoking ban in an effort to curb preventable deaths and alleviate pressures on the NHS.
Industry leaders have warned that the proposed plans to ban outdoor smoking, including in beer gardens and outside stadiums, would be another “nail in the coffin” for pubs and bars.
According to leaked proposals seen by The Sun newspaper, the UK Government is set to ban smoking in some outdoor areas to improve public health.
The indoor smoking ban could be extended to cover other locations including small parks, outdoor restaurants and hospitals.
“Preventable” deaths
Sir Keir told reporters in Paris: “My starting point on this is to remind everyone that over 80,000 people lose their lives every year because of smoking. That’s a preventable death.
“It’s a huge burden on the NHS, and, of course, it’s a burden on the taxpayer. So, yes, we are going to take decisions in this space.
“More details will be revealed, but this is a preventable series of deaths, and we’ve got to take the action to reduce the burden on the NHS and reduce the burden on the taxpayer.”
He added: “I think it’s important to get the balance right, but everybody watching this who uses the NHS will know that it’s on its knees.
“We have to relieve the burden, and that’s why I spoke before the election about moving to a preventative model when it comes to health.”
With concerns raised about the potential implications for Wales, with health a devolved power, the Welsh Government has clarified that any ban would be applicable in Wales.
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We have already taken action to restrict smoking in some outdoor public spaces in Wales and we supported the original UK Government Tobacco and Vapes Bill when it was laid in Parliament earlier this year.
“We hope to see a strengthened Bill reintroduced in the autumn.”
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney has also clarified that Scotland will “of course consider” replicating any UK Government ban on smoking in places such as beer gardens and outdoor restaurants,.
Speaking during a visit to a school in Edinburgh, Mr Swinney said: “Obviously, we will look with care at any proposals emerging from the United Kingdom Government.
“Scotland was first to ban smoking in public places and the improvement in public health and the improvement in the environment in which people are sitting and spending time has been enhanced enormously as a consequence of that decision.
“So, we need to be constantly attentive to the steps that are necessary to protect and enhance public health.”
“Nail in the coffin”
Reem Ibrahim, acting director of communications at the Institute of Economic Affairs thinktank, said banning outdoor smoking would be “another nail in the coffin for the pub industry”.
She said: “The Government’s own impact assessment concluded that banning smoking outdoors will lead to pub closures and job losses.
“Pubs and other private venues should be able to determine their own outdoor smoking rules – just as they should be allowed to decide whether to play music, serve food or show football on TV.”
She added: “The Government should look to countries like Sweden, which has attained the lowest prevalence of smoking in the world not by implementing nanny state measures like this proposal, but by allowing adults to choose safer and healthier products.”
Tim Martin, founder of JD Wetherspoon, told the PA news agency the proposed smoking ban raises a “libertarian issue”.
He said: “The question is whether the Government should interfere in individual liberties where danger is involved.
“Mountaineering is dangerous, for example. Horse riding, statistically, causes many serious injuries. I don’t think it will have a big effect on our business, one way or the other, and is really a libertarian issue.”
In 2007, under the last Labour government, smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces was made illegal across the UK.
According to health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), in the year following the introduction of smoke-free laws, there was a 2.4% reduction in hospital admissions for heart attacks in England, saving the NHS £8.4 million in the first year alone.
The first year after the introduction of the indoor smoking ban also saw a 12.3% reduction in hospital admissions for childhood asthma, equivalent to 6,803 fewer admissions over three years.
Wide support
Former prime minister Rishi Sunak announced plans to crack down on smoking through his flagship Tobacco and Vapes Bill last year.
The Bill – dubbed the “greatest piece of public health legislation in a generation” – had earned wide cross-party support and was progressing through Parliament when the general election was called.
Charities and health experts were dismayed when the Bill was shelved as a result.
Deborah Arnott, chief executive of ASH, said: “The priority is to get the Bill back in Parliament and put on the statute book, to end smoking for the next generation and curb youth vaping.
“ASH would support the inclusion of powers to extend smoke-free laws outdoors, subject to consultation.”
She added: “However, it’s also important to ensure that there are still outdoor areas where people who smoke can smoke in the open air, rather than inside their homes.”
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Shame! nothing beats trying to eat a meal outdoors with ashtrays and glasses with fag ends in and the wind blowing the stink and ash about and stepping through the mess on the way to your table…..(if its that bad I don’t go back anyway).
One benefit is millionaire farage has said he wont go into a pub again if this happens. Of course he also said he would leave the UK if brexit was a fail.
Nice weather last weekend and realised a high street pub had made the effort to create a stunning patio out back; fresh air, sunshine and a descent view.
Then the reminder came in the way of the ashtrays. Fortunately our food wasn’t ruined by the vile clouds of vapes or tobacco, but I’ll look forward to going back when I know those anti social habits have taken the next step towards extinction.
Ah, the days of a nicotine stained ceiling in a pub. How many are now painted the colour they want and it stays that colour. People were screaming over banning cancer sticks indoors.
You can’t smack children, quite rightly in Wales but you can subject them to passive smoke in homes.
Try stopping smoking indoors with children present first would be a good start and more likely to save lives.
Never smoked never will, curbing outdoors in an area where you have a choice to be, as no smoking inside pub will just push onto the next outdoor space if you can get through the clouds of vapes.
Should if enacted apply to any outdoor space associated with a building not just a pub, coffee shops pavement seating, airport balconies etc for consistency.
The government should ban the use of drugs in all places inside and out side any properties , especially since the smell of marijuana is much more harmful to health than cigarettes, it is the reason people start smoking.. Eliminate and ban the drugs and thus others will respond to quitting smoking
The senedd is missing a trick and a vote winner make it illegal to use cigarettes anywhere in Wales be the first and set an example to the rest of the world ban them……………. just like all the other illegal drugs on the market they cannot stop, freely available in any village town or city. If you know who to ask, Try stopping them first.
Prevention is better than cure Medical profession say so true