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NEWS RELEASE | Thursday 6 July 2006
A CLEAR majority of people are still opposed to a ban on smoking in all public places, according to a new report by the Office for National Statistics published today.
The report, carried out by the ONS for the Department of Health, found that 65 per cent of people favoured restrictions in pubs, but only 33 per cent wanted a total ban; 48 per cent wanted pubs to be mainly non-smoking with smoking areas.
Responding to the report, Simon Clark, director of the smokers' lobby group Forest, said: "A majority support restrictions but not a ban. By banning smoking in every pub, club and bar the government is ignoring public opinion.
"What most people want is a choice of smoking and non-facilities, not a ban enforced by threats of fines and even imprisonment. A blanket ban is out of all proportion to the problem of passive smoking. The answer is designated smoking rooms and decent ventilation.
"The majority of MPs and peers have repeatedly ignored calls to find the sort of compromise solution that is commonplace throughout Europe. Instead they have caved in to the hysterical anti-smoking lobby which has abused scientific evidence in an intolerant and illiberal crusade to force people to quit smoking."
Forest believe that the new figures, which remain stable from the previous year, suggest that the anti-smoking bandwagon is running out of steam in terms of public support.
Clark added: "By ignoring public opinion, the Labour government will breed even more resentment among voters, some of whom already view this administration with suspicion and contempt."
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