Gareth Thomas

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100 MPs back legislation to ban smoking in restaurants

Gareth Thomas MP (Harrow West) will propose new legislation to ban smoking in all cafes and restaurants. The proposal will be debated in the House of Commons on Monday 14th April and is already supported by one hundred MPs from across the House of Commons.

The BMA’s November 2002 report on passive smoking, Towards Smoke-free Public Places, establishes beyond doubt that passive smoking is a cause of lung cancer, coronary heart disease and asthma attacks in adults; and cot death, middle ear disease, respiratory infections and the development of asthma in children. The BMA estimates at least 1,000 people die from passive smoke exposure each year in the UK.
Evidence from a number of authoritative sources, including the Scientific Committee On Tobacco and Health, the Government’s own advisors on tobacco and health, has confirmed the negative health and welfare effects of passive smoking. Passive smoking in the UK causes several hundred lung cancer and several thousand heart disease cases each year. Passive smoking also causes or aggravates asthma and respiratory illnesses.  In addition to these serious effects there are also pervasive low level effects, such as sore eyes, sore throats and increased coughing.
It is in the workplace that exposure to passive smoking has the biggest impact. Employees in the hospitality sector are especially vulnerable because they work long, unsociable hours and are almost always on the minimum wage. A study of non smoking employees working in pubs in Australia found that after at least four hours work, employees had four times the carbon monoxide levels of workers in a smoke free workplace. Indeed a third of them had carbon monoxide levels consistent with ‘light smoker’ status.

Legislation to ban smoking in restaurants could be the first step towards a ban on smoking in all workplaces and other public places to a recent Mori opinion poll published by Smoke free London 76% of those surveyed said they supported legislation to protect the health of those working in restaurants. Almost one third of those questioned said too that they would be likely to go out to restaurants more frequently if they were smoke free. The legislation is supported by ASH, Smoke Free London, British Medical Association and the National Asthma Campaign.

Gareth said:

“Legislation to ban smoking in restaurants is long overdue. The consequences of passive smoking are all well known and the adverse impact on the health of those who work in the trade are increasingly recognised. A ban on smoking should be a basic health and safety requirement on restaurant owners.”