Irish smoking ban turns spotlight on Scotland

A NATIONWIDE ban on smoking in restaurants, pubs and offices which comes into force across the Republic of Ireland today is set to focus the attention of policy-makers and health officials in Scotland as they look to ways of improving the health of the nation.

Although a direct ban on smoking in public places is not part of the Scottish Executive’s legislative agenda in the short term, the impact of smoking on health and what to do about it remains a major concern.

The Republic’s smoking ban will be policed by a team of about 450 inspectors.

Fines of 2,100 (3,000 euro) will be issued to anyone caught smoking illegally. Managers and owners of workplaces are responsible for ensuring compliance with the ban.

The Executive, assisted by an array of national health groups and the licensed trade, has already started moves to target Scotland’s smokers, and continues to promote voluntary bans enforced by business owners.

However, about 90 per cent of the food and licensed industry have failed so far to enforce these recommendations, and health leaders yesterday admitted more must be done. They said the progress of Ireland’s controversial smoking ban could soon have an impact on Scotland.

The deputy health minister, Tom McCabe, said he had studied the impact of smoking bans worldwide, but earmarked Ireland as particularly important, considering its close proximity.

He said: "Smoking is the single greatest preventable cause of ill-health and premature death in this country, accounting for more than 13,000 deaths and 33,500 hospital admissions, at an estimated cost of 200 million each year.

"While the number of smoke-free areas in public places has increased, only 11 per cent of businesses in the food and entertainment sector have complied with all four of the voluntary charter's requirements, while seven out of ten pubs allow smoking on their premises. Nothing has been ruled in or out. Legislation is clearly an option to help improve this, and we will consider an extension of the voluntary approach.

"We will also closely monitor the Irish situation and other regulations taking effect across the globe, including those in New York, California, Italy and New Zealand. Issues such as how the ban is enforced and its effect on the licensed trade will be taken into consideration."

The possibility of more smoke-free public areas in Scotland continues to receive a mixed reaction.

Stuart Maxwell, the West of Scotland MSP and a vociferous campaigner for a smoke-free environment, who is behind a bill to ban smoking in public places where food is served, welcomes the Irish move.

He said: "Evidence shows that the majority of people in Scotland want a smoking ban enforced in public places."

He added: "A recent BBC survey showed 73 per cent of people across the UK favoured such a ban, while 77 per cent of those surveyed in Scotland said they would support it."

But the Conservative MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife, Brian Monteith, said that such laws could have a disastrous impact on Scotland’s economy. "The Irish situation has already descended into farce, with people identifying and exploiting loopholes, and I imagine the same would happen here," he said.