Speaking on the 20th anniversary of the smoking ban in Scotland, Simon Clark, director of the smokers; rights group Forest which campaigned against the ban, said:

“The 20th anniversary of the workplace smoking ban is nothing to celebrate. The ban was a disaster for many pubs in Scotland, especially inner city bars that had no outdoor area where smokers could light up in comfort. Hundreds of pubs closed and thousands of jobs were lost as many smokers chose to stay at home.

“A comprehensive indoor smoking ban was unreasonable and unnecessarily draconian. Publicans should have been allowed to choose a policy on smoking based on customer demand.

“At the very least, they could have been given the option of providing separate, well-ventilated smoking rooms that would have kept the smoke away from non-smokers who didn’t want to be exposed to cigarette smoke.

“Claims that smoke-free laws have significantly benefited public health are exaggerated. The impact of secondhand smoke on non-smokers is questionable, and there is no evidence that the smoking ban had a significant impact on smoking rates.

“A far more significant factor, when smoking rates began to fall sharply from 2012, was the increasing popularity of e-cigarettes which offered smokers a reduced risk option to cigarettes.

“It’s true that most smokers adapted to the ban, but the war on smoking has gone far enough. Smoking is a legitimate habit and if adults choose to smoke that’s up to them. Government has a duty to educate people about the health risks, but beyond that politicians and anti-smoking campaigners should butt out and leave people alone.”