Smoking ban

Smoking bans are government prohibitions on tobacco smoking in quasi-public indoor areas such as offices, restaurants, and hotels. Outright bans on smoking altogether are rare, although in many jurisdictions the sale of tobacco to minors, or minors under a certain age, is prohibited. Such laws have been introduced by many countries in various forms over the years, with legislators citing health statistics that show tobacco smoking is sometimes fatal for the smokers and those subjected to secondhand smoke.

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Bans in various countries

Countries to introduce a comprehensive ban include:

• South Africa which passed the Tobacco Products Control Amendement Act in 2001
• New Zealand which passed the Smokefree Environments Amendment Bill on December 3, 2003. The ban takes effect on December 10, 2004
• The Republic of Ireland, which became the first country in the world to ban smoking in all work places (and hence bars and restaurants) on March 29, 2004
• Australia, Iran, Montenegro, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Tanzania parts of Canada (British Columbia, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Kingston, Ottawa, St. John's, Toronto, Waterloo Region, Winnipeg) and parts of the U.S. (Boulder, Colorado; New York; California; Massachusetts; Eugene, Oregon; Madison, Wisconsin) have imposed bans on smoking in bars, clubs, and restaurants
• The Scottish Parliament has introduced a bill backed by all parties to ban smoking in all enclosed public places, expected to be in force by 2006
• The Kingdom of Bhutan has announced a national ban on the sale of tobacco products, to be enforced from 17 November 2004.
• On 16 November 2004 a Public Health white paper proposed a smoking ban in almost all public places in England, set to come into effect in 2006.

In other countries, such as France and Russia, bans enacted earlier allow for smoking sections in restaurants, as well as possible special rooms for use by smokers in other workplaces (though many employers prefer not to incur the costs of building and maintaining such rooms, leaving smoking employees to go smoke outside).

In the US, smokers and hospitality businesses initially argued they would suffer disastrously from smoking bans, with many of them going broke. However, the experiences of New York and California have showed that many such businesses do survive. Still, stiff opposition to these smoking bans from smokers, bar owners, and even some non-smokers (such as libertarians), is still prevalent in these two states.

In Ireland, the main opposition was from publicans, along with a minority of pub-goers. The Irish workplace ban was introduced with an argument of protecting others against passive smoking. There was widespread opposition before the ban, but by and large, since the ban's introduction it has become largely accepted, due in part to "outdoor" arrangements at many pubs (involving heated areas with shelters). The government and much of the public views it as a success, and many other European governments are considering similar legislation. Public health lobbyists in Northern Ireland have lobbied for a similar ban there also.

Total ban dispute

Recently there has been a growing desire by some anti-smoking activists and health officials to prohibit the sale and consumption of all tobacco products, regardless of where they are used. US Surgeon General Richard Carmona stirred some controversy in June 2003 when he publicly called for all tobacco products to be banned nationwide. A similar view is held by the British medical journal The Lancet, which called for a similar total ban in the UK in the December 2003 issue. In November 2004, Bhutan became the first country on earth to ban tobacco sale completely. There is a 100% import tax on tobacco products brought into the country for personal consumption.

Such a comprehensive ban in these countries would likely face considerable problems. The experience of the US prohibition of alcohol in the early 1900s shows that banning a harmful but popular product leads to widespread drug trafficking, which generates crime. However, no definite conclusions can be made from these analogies. A more recent anti-alcohol campaign in the USSR in 1985-1987 led to considerable public health benefits despite large scale illegal home-brewery of alcohol. Despite the potential benefits, it is argued that such a ban would violate personal freedoms, particularly if it is considered a victimless crime. The main arguments against smoking being a victimless crime are the health risks of passive smoking and increased health costs borne by all members of society. The argument for smoking being a victimless crime is that no adults are subjected to it without their consent.

The debate over whether a total ban should be implemented is still ongoing.

See also

• World No Tobacco day

External links

• BBC news story: Scotland smoking ban to go ahead
• BBC news story: Smoking ban proposed for England
• New Brunswick Smoke-Free Places Act [1]