[Intl-tobacco] Smoking ban in Scots restaurants and public places 'by end of the year'

[Robert Weissman]

Smoking ban in Scots restaurants and public places 'by end of the year'
The Scotsman
April 4, 2004

Eddie Barnes, Political Editor

A far-reaching on smoking in public is to be introduced in Scotland by the
end of the year in a bid to slash the country1s appalling death rate from
tobacco-related disease. Scotland on Sunday can reveal that ministers are
throwing their weight behind legislation that will most likely see smoking
outlawed in restaurants and public buildings.

They have already stopped short of an Ireland-style ban on smoking in pubs
because they believe there is insufficient support among the public for
such a step. Supporters of a ban believe it is the only way to encourage
more people to quit the habit and reduce the annual smoking-related toll
of 13,000 deaths and 33,500 hospital admissions.

But any legislative crackdown is certain to trigger fury from the smoking
lobby, which proposes an extension of voluntary no-smoking zones in
restaurants and other public places. Despite such objections, First
Minister Jack McConnell has disclosed privately that a ban is now
inevitable in Scotland and will be tabled later this year, with the only
question mark on how far it is extended. Friends of Deputy Health Minister
Tom McCabe say he is supportive of a ban and has been lobbying other
ministers for one.

A source close to the First Minister last night confirmed that the
situation in restaurants was uppermost in his mind. The source said: "The
First Minister believes that it is inevitable there will be further
no-smoking areas. He doesn1t think that Scotland is ready for a blanket
ban. There is more support for a ban in restaurants than in pubs. The more
smoke-free areas we can get then we will start to see progress in cutting
down heart and lung disease."

An official announcement will have to wait until after a public
consultation being carried out by McCabe1s department. The move in
Scotland comes just a week after Ireland banned smoking in all public
places - including pubs - and with Norway preparing to enact a similar law
in June. Supporters of a ban are also pointing to what they claim is the
success of the New York smoking ban, swept into law last year.

A report last week claimed that takings in bars and restaurants had risen
by 9% after the ban, as non-smokers decided to head out. The momentum for
a ban in Scotland has been speeded up by surveys which show that only 11%
of bars and restaurants provided smoke-free zones. McConnell1s shift was
confirmed last week when he appeared to give strong support to a private
member1s bill backed by Nationalist MSP Stewart Maxwell which proposes a
smoking ban on premises which serve food.

After being asked in the parliament to set out his stance by Maxwell,
McConnell replied: "Stewart Maxwell and I may be getting closer by the
day." McConnell, whose remarks went unreported at the time, added: "He
[Maxwell] said that banning smoking in some public places may be the right
thing to do. I have no doubt that it would be the right thing to do. We
need to make the right decision about how far to go with such measures."

The anti-smoking lobby said that the tactic of creating voluntary
smoking-free zones had failed to deliver. Maureen Moore, chief executive
of ASH Scotland, said: "The voluntary approach has been around for three
years and the figures show that seven out of 10 pubs don1t have any
designated smoke-free zones. That hasn1t changed since smoke-free zones
were introduced and they haven1t made any inroads so it shows that the
approach is deeply flawed."

Stewart Maxwell, who is continuing to promote his own bill on a ban in
restaurants, added: "I think that the First Minister is now beginning to
tackle the reality that there is overwhelming support for a ban amongst
the public and I am glad to see that he is listening to the evidence." But
Tim Lord, chief executive of the Tobacco Manufacturers1 Association, said:
"We agree that there should be smoke-free areas in pubs and restaurants.
All we are saying is that, for those adults who choose to smoke, we think
they should have access in pubs and restaurants to have a cigarette if
they choose."

He added: "A quarter of adults choose to smoke and as long as they know
the risks they should be able to go and have a cigarette. Equally you
should be able to go somewhere where smoking won1t bother you."