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Smoking in Public Places
A Consultation on Reducing Exposure to Second Hand Smoke
Report of Regional and Area Events
ARDROSSAN, 7 SEPTEMBER 2004
Present: 17 people attended, including the SCF facilitator, with backgrounds in health, local authority, and the voluntary sector.
Introduction
Everyone was welcomed to the meeting and thanked for attending. The background to the consultation and SCF's ground rules for meetings were explained.
Discussion
The discussion was structured around the questions asked in the Scottish Executive's leaflet. The points made in relation to each question are noted below.
Having considered the health risks associated with passive smoking, do you think that further action needs to be taken to reduce people's exposure to second-hand smoke?
The existing arrangements are inadequate.
This is a public health issue which needs to be addressed by a national mechanism, as well as education.
Voluntary charters don't work.
We need to work towards non-smoking becoming the norm.
The existence of other sorts of air pollution is not a justification for tobacco smoke.
Smoke and smell linger.
Would you support a law to make enclosed public places smoke-free?
The meeting supported legislation for the reasons given under 1 above.
Legislation is meaningless without penalties for infringement. It must also be enforced or it won't work. How will it be enforced? Smoking bans on buses are not enforced. In addition, the way in which some people see smoking as a right has led to aggression/violence being experienced in the Health Service.
Who would enforce the law? This would present difficulties for caretakers of public halls e.g. they may have to challenge local residents with whom they are also in contact in other aspects of their work/lives.
Smokers are not being denied the right to smoke - the issue is where they smoke. Others have a right to fresh air.
Careful thought must be given to the definition of an 'enclosed space' in order to avoid many challenges to the legislation.
Smoking is part of social interaction. In Ireland and New York, social interaction hasn't stopped because of the smoking bans. However, changes in attitudes so that smoking is less acceptable will help.
Some cynicism about government motives was expressed because it obtains revenue from tobacco sales.
If a law was introduced, do you think there should be any exemptions to it?
It is reasonable to have exemptions for premises which are also people's homes e.g. nursing homes, although there are also staff welfare issues. Compromises need to be looked at e.g. provision of a smoking facility/space
Smokers are able to accept/live with smoking bans e.g. on long haul flights
If it is decided not to introduce a law, what more could be done to encourage individual businesses to take voluntary action to become smoke-free or to provide more smoke-free provision?
There should always be a ban where food is served.
Many organisations and clubs have taken voluntary action.
Businesses must support their staff. Suggestions for what is needed include role models, government support and treatment schemes. (In this respect it was commented that the Scottish Parliament has a smoking room and that this is not a good role model.) It was felt that to be inevitable that staff litigation against employers about smoking-related matters will happen, although it was wondered what would happen if some workers don't want to stop smoking.
There was some concern that responding to this question might be seen as providing arguments against a legal ban.
Only a small minority of premises complied with the voluntary charter.
The forerunners of the voluntary charter have been around a long time but have not worked.
Non-smokers should be protected.
Ventilation doesn't work.
A ban is the biggest single action that can bring about improvement.
Not being able to smoke in particular places helps smokers to stop smoking.
What else could we do to reduce people's exposure to second-hand smoke?
More money should be allocated to health education, including work with the very young, young people and traders.
There is a demand for smoking cessation work with young people.
Any other views about smoking in public places?
Concern was expressed that political manoeuvring might affect the passing of this legislation, and that if we fail to take the action now it may be difficult to revive the subject later.
The answers given to questions 4 and 5 do not constitute reasons for not banning smoking.
The rights of non-smokers are important. There are 3,600 deaths per year from passive smoking.
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