Guardian letters on outdoor smoking ban

Addiction Economy Thought for Today - good from The Guardian, a selection of letters giving all the different angles on the smoking in pub gardens debate.

I identify with this one most from Ian Dawson from Lancashire.

"I am always puzzled by the emphasis that the hospitality industry places on smokers. Action on Smoking and Health tells us that 12.9% of adults in the UK are smokers. It would seem commercially sensible to focus on the vast majority of potential customers – those who don’t smoke and probably prefer not to breathe the second-hand smoke of those who do. Kate Nicholls of UKHospitality talks about the prospect of economic harm, but doesn’t consider the possibility of business improving as 87.1% of potential customers look at the prospect of going out without the impact of second-hand smoke on their enjoyment and health".

Got to also agree with Deborah Arnott of ASH in their Daily News Bulletin.

“Twenty years ago those who opposed banning smoking inside pubs argued it would damage business, and be unenforceable. In fact more people went to pubs after the ban came in, and compliance was 97% from day one. That was a far more radical change, smoking rates have gone down considerably since then, and the public supports extending legislation to areas outside hospitality venues, so it’s hard to see how it can damage the hospitality trade.

More to the point, smoking is the leading cause of premature death and is responsible for half the difference in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest in society, and the economic cost to the economy in England alone is at least £21.8 Bn. The more we can do to end smoking altogether, the better it will be for everyone’s health and wellbeing.”

Another writer Robert Lee from Hampton says

"The government’s almost evangelical crackdown on smoking contrasts sharply with its attitude to alcohol, which is responsible for more problems."

Joe Woof chart below shows this is not the case, but indeed that we also do need to take urgent steps to stop the immense harms from them too!

Guardian letters here.

https://lnkd.in/gftES3JH