The smoking ban


	The smoking ban

Background
In 2004 The Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health concluded that exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) also known as ‘passive smoking’, or 'second-hand smoke', represented a major public health hazard. It increases the risk of serious illnesses such as lung cancer and heart disease in adult non-smokers and has a wide variety of adverse effects in children.

There is also evidence that using ventilation and air filtration systems in enclosed public places such as workplaces, pubs and restaurants does not stop potentially dangerous exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.

In addition, independent academic research has identified the significant costs to the employer of smoking in the workplace.

The law

As a result of these findings the government passed The Health Act in 2006 to protect the public from the adverse effects of environmental tobacco smoke. This Act will compel virtually all workplaces in England to become smoke-free from July 1, 2007.

The new law (commonly known as ‘The Smoking Ban’) aims to protect workers and the general public from the harmful effects of environmental tobacco smoke.

Wales will implement the law on April 2, 2007 and Northern Ireland follows suit on the 30th. These actions bring England, Wales and Northern Ireland in line with the Irish Republic and Scotland that are already smoke-free.

Specially designated local authority officers will enforce the law with powers to enter premises and issue fixed penalty notices if offences have been committed.

The law creates 3 new offences

Failing to display no-smoking signs in premises covered by the law.
Smoking in a smoke-free place.
Failing to prevent smoking in a smoke-free place.

In addition, it will be an offence to obstruct an officer enforcing the smoke-free legislation.

Smoke-free policy >>