Pets being used as a "weapon" in the war on smoking, says Forest

Mon 30th October, 2017

Campaigners have accused the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the Royal College of Nursing of using pets as a "weapon" in the war on the smoking.

Responding to a new campaign that warns owners of the alleged risks of smoking around pets, Simon Clark, director of the smokers’ group Forest, said:

“The threat of passive smoking is greatly exaggerated. Bringing pets into the smoking debate is a pathetic distraction from genuine incidents of animal abuse.

“The best thing anyone can do for their pet is provide a warm, comfortable environment where it feels safe and secure.

"Using pets as a weapon in the war on smoking is pretty low, even by the increasingly intrusive standards of the tobacco control industry.

“If pet owners choose to smoke at home that's a matter for them, their immediate family and no-one else."

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