Scotland to ban smoking in enclosed public places
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《英国医生杂志》
Scotland is to become the first country in the United Kingdom to ban smoking in enclosed public places such as bars and restaurants in a move that will increase pressure on England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to follow suit.
The ban, which is scheduled to be introduced in spring 2006, has been welcomed by medical charities, royal colleges, and health professionals. It will carry maximum fines of ￡2500 ($4617; 3567) for businesses and ￡1000 for individual smokers who persistently flout the new law.
Although the definition of an enclosed public place has still to be decided, few exemptions are expected to the ban, which will cover pubs, clubs, restaurants, private members' clubs, and even dedicated smoking rooms at work. Scotland's first minister, Jack McConnell, said it would amount to one of the most far-reaching antismoking laws in the world.
However, the Scottish licensed trade is considering mounting a legal challenge to the proposed legislation, warning that it could force up to a quarter of bars to close, with the loss of thousands of jobs.
Their arguments have been rejected by health campaigners, who have said that any economic impact on the licensed trade will be far outweighed by the health benefits of a ban. Professor Alex Markham, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: "Huge numbers of lives will be saved as a result of this legislation, and many smokers desperate for the support to give up will have a golden opportunity to quit successfully."
The decision to introduce a ban in Scotland has encouraged antismoking groups in the rest of the United Kingdom. Ministers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland are being urged to follow Scotland's lead. The Welsh Assembly has already voted in favour of a ban but lacks the power to implement one. The BMA in Wales is now considering petitioning the UK parliament to give the assembly the right to outlaw smoking in public places.
Pressure is also being applied to the secretary of state for health at Westminster, John Reid, himself a Scot. Dr Vivienne Nathanson, the BMA's head of science and ethics, said: "The BMA congratulates Scottish politicians for listening to the evidence on second hand smoke, putting the health of their citizens first, and having the courage to introduce a ban. We really hope that John Reid will be influenced by his fellow Scots and show similar leadership when he releases the forthcoming white paper on public health for England."(Bryan Christie)
The ban, which is scheduled to be introduced in spring 2006, has been welcomed by medical charities, royal colleges, and health professionals. It will carry maximum fines of ￡2500 ($4617; 3567) for businesses and ￡1000 for individual smokers who persistently flout the new law.
Although the definition of an enclosed public place has still to be decided, few exemptions are expected to the ban, which will cover pubs, clubs, restaurants, private members' clubs, and even dedicated smoking rooms at work. Scotland's first minister, Jack McConnell, said it would amount to one of the most far-reaching antismoking laws in the world.
However, the Scottish licensed trade is considering mounting a legal challenge to the proposed legislation, warning that it could force up to a quarter of bars to close, with the loss of thousands of jobs.
Their arguments have been rejected by health campaigners, who have said that any economic impact on the licensed trade will be far outweighed by the health benefits of a ban. Professor Alex Markham, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: "Huge numbers of lives will be saved as a result of this legislation, and many smokers desperate for the support to give up will have a golden opportunity to quit successfully."
The decision to introduce a ban in Scotland has encouraged antismoking groups in the rest of the United Kingdom. Ministers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland are being urged to follow Scotland's lead. The Welsh Assembly has already voted in favour of a ban but lacks the power to implement one. The BMA in Wales is now considering petitioning the UK parliament to give the assembly the right to outlaw smoking in public places.
Pressure is also being applied to the secretary of state for health at Westminster, John Reid, himself a Scot. Dr Vivienne Nathanson, the BMA's head of science and ethics, said: "The BMA congratulates Scottish politicians for listening to the evidence on second hand smoke, putting the health of their citizens first, and having the courage to introduce a ban. We really hope that John Reid will be influenced by his fellow Scots and show similar leadership when he releases the forthcoming white paper on public health for England."(Bryan Christie)