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Ireland: Forest slams plan to extend smoking ban to outdoor spaces

Tue 11th May, 2021

Forest Ireland has slammed a Government health plan that aims to extend the smoking ban to outdoor areas.

Responding to the Healthy Ireland Strategic Action Plan 2021-2025 published today [11th May], John Mallon, spokesman for Forest Ireland, said:

"There is no justification for banning smoking in outdoor spaces. Smoking in the open air poses no health risk to anyone other than the smoker.

"Coming out of the pandemic the last thing the hospitality industry needs is the threat of smoking being prohibited outside pubs, cafes and bars."

He added:

"Tobacco is a legal product and smokers have a right to light up in outdoor spaces without restrictions designed to force them to quit.

"The war on smoking has become a war on ordinary people who just want to be left alone to live their lives as they choose without excessive government intervention."

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