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Lobbyists pressure MPs to relax ban
1 July, 2008
Forest wantspubs to have choice on smoking
Pro-smoking group Forest will today pressure MPs to amend the smoking ban and allow licensed smoking rooms in pubs and clubs.
Speaking at a House of Commons reception hosted by Tory MP Philip Davies the group’s director Simon Clark plans to highlight the plight of pubs to an audience of MPs.
Handing them each a complimentary Montecristo No. 2 cigar, he will say: “Many pubs and clubs have suffered serious economic hardship and for many smokers the social impact has been equally severe.
"It is very unfair, especially on older smokers. For some mental health sufferers the impact of the ban has been devastating.
“We want to bring back some element of choice for consumers, owners, and members of staff” |
Simon Clark, Forst director |
“Smokers are not going to disappear like a puff of smoke, so let’s be fair and practical about this. We are asking the government to amend the legislation so that pubs and clubs can apply for a license to introduce well-ventilated separate smoking rooms.
"We want to bring back some element of choice for consumers, owners, and members of staff.”
Clark will launch Forest's renewed ‘Amend the Smoking Ban’ campaign exactly a year after the ban’s implementation, supported by documents detailing its social and economic impact.
Readers' comments
If the millions of dollars paid out by certain organizations to buy the complicity of governments in the anti-smoking campaign and to the lobby groups who spread their propaganda were spent on the real problems of societies, it would be a much better world.
To Larry Didier: why do you say that people can still smoke in their own homes and most open spaces when you know full well that these areas will be targetted next. As ASH says 'The next logical step.' Just look at what's been happening in Canada and some parts of the USA. We are not asking for a return to smoking in all pubs but separate closed off areas in some pubs so giving people a choice.
i don't see why some non smokers are so frightened of giving people back there freedom of choice when socializing. By allowing smokers to have there own bars and venues seperate from those who believe the properganda that is being spread by groups like ASH, the government would be giving everybody freedom of choice, without taking away anyone's freedom and liberty.
Wholly in favour of this proposal. BTW could you please not FOREST is not pro smoking, as you state, but pro coice FOR smokers, which is quite different.
The protesters don't seem to "get it". They can still smoke, if they so choose; they just can no longer do it in areas where the dangerous toxins and chemicals produced by their smoking materials can endanger the lives and well-being of those around them. Prior to the public health actions to restrict smoking in public places, non-smokers had NO CHOICE as to whether they could frequent their favorite places without endangering their own health. And for those working in such places, they had even less of a choice. Why can't the smokers CHOOSE to reduce health risks for those around them? They can still smoke in other places, including their own homes, or in most all outdoor areas - why must the INSIST on depriving others of their CHOICE to breathe air free of these dangerous chemicals.
Yes it has been one year since the smoking ban. All my friends both smoking and smoking would certainly like to see this ban amended. "It's just killed off the atmosphere in pubs and a lot are going to the wall. Also where are the non-smokers who were supposed to flood into the pubs after the ban, because we don't see them?"
I believe that this is a good time to make exemptions. Many pubs and clubs will want to remain non-smokings and many will want part smoking. This will mean a choice for all.