The UK "Smoking Ban"

Bebi · The UK "Smoking Ban"

While I understand why they've done this, and agree with it to some extent, there are a few problems I have with this.

I feel that the individual establishments should be able to police themselves as to whether they should allow smoking on the premesis or not. Yes, I know that it's to "protect the workers" but surely these workers should also have the choice whether they work in a smoking or non smoking establishment? The blanket ban with fines for allowing smoking I feel is too severe. Many businesses have lost money from the revenue provided by smokers (Bingo halls in particular, click to view news story). I myself don't really go anywhere where it affects me, other than the odd cafe now and then, and it's no problem for me to sit outside to drink my coffee, but I've noticed that 90% of cafe's in my local town now have roughly 70% of their customers at tables outside, or buying take-away coffee/food, with hardly anyone sitting inside.

Prisons: Only a handful of UK prisons are non-smoking. The directors say that to ban it would put staff at risk, and "As we try to settle them into prisons I don't want to keep any more pressure on them than I need, in the interests of keeping people alive and safe." Apparantly it's also against the prisoners human rights to ban smoking. Why? Why should prisoners get more rights than the average person?

Link - smoking ban may increase assaults on prison staff