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Smoking to be banned in pubs from January 2004
By Paul Anderson Last updated: 30-01-03, 12:19
Smoking is to be banned in the workplace - including pubs, restaurants and trains - from January 1st, 2004.
The Minister for Health and Children, Mr Martin, made the announcement at the publication of a new report on passive smoking that shows people exposed to "second-hand smoke" in the workplace are 25-30 per cent more likely to suffer from heart disease.
The report, compiled by an expert group on behalf of the Office of Tobacco Control and the Health and Safety Authority, calls for a ban on smoking in workplaces, which includes pubs and restaurants.
It states bluntly that environmental tobacco smoke is a serious carcinogenic. Other dangers include a risk of developing cancer, heart disease, respiratory tract infections, or giving birth to low-weight babies.
"This ban will mean a massive cultural change for people right around the country and the eleven months before its full introduction will give people the time needed to adjust and change", Mr Martin said.
The Minister said the experience of other countries shows partial bans do not work and today's report gave him no choice but to enforce an outright ban.
Although the report focuses on the effects of passive smoking the workplace, Mr Martin said the findings also applied to other environments. "Children are exposed to ETF [environmental tobacco smoke] when people smoke in places where children live, play or visit with adults," Mr Martin added.
Dr Shane Allwright, chairperson of the expert group, said there is a general consensus in the international community about the dangers of passive smoking. "In 2002 the international agency for cancer research declared ETS to be a known human carcinogen," she said.
The report also shows that good ventilation does little to reduce the risk of ETS.
The Minister concluded: "I believe that in every decade we are presented with one major choice - a choice where, if we call it right, we change the future for the better.
"This is one of those choices and I'm making the call the way it must be made, [by] eleven months from now taking tobacco out of the workplace".
By Paul Anderson Last updated: 30-01-03, 12:19
Smoking is to be banned in the workplace - including pubs, restaurants and trains - from January 1st, 2004.
The Minister for Health and Children, Mr Martin, made the announcement at the publication of a new report on passive smoking that shows people exposed to "second-hand smoke" in the workplace are 25-30 per cent more likely to suffer from heart disease.
The report, compiled by an expert group on behalf of the Office of Tobacco Control and the Health and Safety Authority, calls for a ban on smoking in workplaces, which includes pubs and restaurants.
It states bluntly that environmental tobacco smoke is a serious carcinogenic. Other dangers include a risk of developing cancer, heart disease, respiratory tract infections, or giving birth to low-weight babies.
"This ban will mean a massive cultural change for people right around the country and the eleven months before its full introduction will give people the time needed to adjust and change", Mr Martin said.
The Minister said the experience of other countries shows partial bans do not work and today's report gave him no choice but to enforce an outright ban.
Although the report focuses on the effects of passive smoking the workplace, Mr Martin said the findings also applied to other environments. "Children are exposed to ETF [environmental tobacco smoke] when people smoke in places where children live, play or visit with adults," Mr Martin added.
Dr Shane Allwright, chairperson of the expert group, said there is a general consensus in the international community about the dangers of passive smoking. "In 2002 the international agency for cancer research declared ETS to be a known human carcinogen," she said.
The report also shows that good ventilation does little to reduce the risk of ETS.
The Minister concluded: "I believe that in every decade we are presented with one major choice - a choice where, if we call it right, we change the future for the better.
"This is one of those choices and I'm making the call the way it must be made, [by] eleven months from now taking tobacco out of the workplace".
