Protection of Public Health Bill (Law'd)

[afleitch]

There has been a public smoking ban in Scotland since March 2006. I will comment on the effects of that later.

On the issue of public vs private it is my belief that a private establishment such as a bar, club or restaurant may be a private establishment but it is still a public venue. There may be a case for members clubs to be excluded from the ban (where your invite rather than your exclusion is at the managements discretion) However from an employees rights perspective there is often legislation in place that bans or restricts exposure to industrial smog/smoke in the workplace without protectived headgear or apparatus but no legislation that restricts employees exposure to second hand tobacco smoke which left bar staff for example exposed to second hand smoke with detriment to their health.

We (rightly) come down hard on asbestos exposure and you can't get near the stuff unless you are properly protected and trained, yet not on tobacco smoke exposure. Both are slow and silent assassins until many years later.

On the issue of the smoking ban here in sunny Scotland a survey by the government and the Scottish NHS found that after one year of the ban there was;

17 % fall in admissions for heart attacks (compared to a fall of 3% on average each year since 1996)

39 % reduction in second hand smoke exposure in 11-year-olds and in adult non-smokers .

86 % per cent reduction in secondhand smoke in bars.

An increase in the proportion of homes that implemented their own 'house rules' smoking restrictions .

No evidence of smoking shifting from public places into the home .

High public support for the legislation even among smokers, whose support increased once the legislation was in place.

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In fact the public smoking ban has seen the biggest decrease in respiratory diseases and conditions since the 1953 Clean Air Act took action to banish industrial smog.

[afleitch]

This is why we need a Health Minister folks

[afleitch]

This is why we need a Health Minister folks

You have me.

What information would you like for the bill (and be aware the soonest you will get it is Monday)?

I've got some health stats from Scotland. If you can find other stats on the impact a smoking ban has on public health in other nations/cities that would be helpful

[afleitch]

Aye

[afleitch]

Nay.

I dislike the changes. Furthermore the President chose not to exercise this particular power with the Welfare Bill that he so swiftly vetoed He gives the impression therefore that he is concerned more with the rights of smokers than the rights of jobseekers.

[afleitch]

Aye