Scottish Parliament Passes Smoking Ban [04/29-4]

Excerpts from: Scottish Parliament Passes Smoking Ban Effective Next Year

Bloomberg [04/29/05]


Scottish lawmakers approved plans to ban smoking in all public places starting next year, following Ireland, Norway and Italy.

The Scottish Parliament, established in 1999 as U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair ``devolved'' power over issues such as health, education and justice, voted 83 to 15 in favor of the ban yesterday evening, the Scottish Executive said in a statement.

``Lifting the smoke blanket from our pubs, clubs, cafes, restaurants and enclosed public spaces will save hundreds of lives every year,'' Health Minister Andy Kerr said in the statement.

Governments are clamping down on smoking, worsening a decade- long drop in tobacco consumption in Western Europe. Ireland became the first in the region to ban smoking in public, while England and Spain both have plans to restrict smoking in public places.

Smokers who light up in restaurants, pubs and other public spaces face a fine up to 1,000 pounds ($1,900) under the law, which was proposed in November and will come into effect from April next year, according to the statement. Venues that fail to enforce the ban will be fined up to 2,500 pounds, it said.

Smoking is the biggest cause of premature death and ill health in Scotland, claiming more than 13,000 lives each year and costing the country's health service an estimated 200 million pounds annually, according to the Scottish Executive's Web site.

Sales of cigarettes in Italy have fallen 19 percent since a law banning smoking in bars and other public places came into force on Jan. 10, Assotabaccai, the tobacconists' national trade association, said on Feb. 3.

Scottish pub owners and hoteliers, including the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, have campaigned against the ban, which was opposed by the Conservative Party, who said a voluntary ban was already working.

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