BMJ  2006;332:9 (7 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7532.9-b

News

MPs ridicule proposed UK partial smoking ban

London

A Labour backbench rebellion may yet see smoking in public places fully banned in England, antismoking campaigners say. Their prediction follows an unprecedented savaging of the government's policy of a partial ban by the influential Commons health committee. The cross party group of MPs dismissed the current proposals, which would allow smoking to continue in all bars and clubs that do not serve food, as "unfair, unjust, inefficient, and unworkable."

By February, MPs will vote again on the Health Bill, which will introduce the partial ban, as it enters its final report stage in the Commons. Already, Kevin Barron, the chairman of the health committee, said that he may call for a free vote in the House, in a bid to extend the proposed ban to a complete ban that would include all pubs, bars, and private clubs. Mr Barron said, "The current proposals fly in the face of medical opinion and will do nothing to protect those most at risk."

Some 101 MPs, including 69 Labour backbenchers, have already signed a motion calling for a free vote, and the number is expected to rise.

Health secretary Patricia Hewitt defends the partial smoking ban while giving evidence at the health select committee in October Credit: PA/EMPICS

Ian Willmore, the public affairs manager of the campaigning group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) said, "We believe there is a real possibility that the government will allow a free vote, which the campaigners for a complete ban would probably win. The alternative for the government is to rely on Conservative support to get the partial ban through, which it may not want to do."

Vivienne Nathanson, head of science and ethics at the BMA said, "If the government has been unmoved by doctors' concern for the public's health, perhaps it will at least listen to parliament's health committee. A partial ban on smoking in public places will bring nothing short of unworkable chaos, and the most disadvantaged in society will continue to be most at risk. The public knows it, the chief medical officer knows it, MPs across all parties know it. And the government knows it."

To add to ministers' discomfort, just 24 hours after the committee's report, new evidence emerged that passive smoking can cause a common type of blindness in older people. Cambridge researchers reported in the British Journal of Ophthalmology that living with a smoker for five years doubled the risk of age related macular degeneration and regular smoking tripled it (2006;90: 75-80)[Abstract/Free Full Text]. About 500 000 people in the UK have age related macular degeneration.

Anita Lightstone, the Royal National Institute for the Blind's head of eye health, said, "This is an extremely important finding and [is] further evidence to back our call for a ban on smoking in all enclosed public places and workplaces across the UK."

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This article has been cited by other articles:

• McKee, M. (2007). A crisis of governance?. J Public Health (Oxf) 29: 3-8 [Abstract] [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Partial smoking ban proposed is not UK wide

Angela Dixon
bmj.com, 11 Jan 2006 [Full text]

Well-earned ridicule.

Alexander SD Spiers
bmj.com, 16 Jan 2006 [Full text]

reply to well earned ridicule

ayesha khalid chaudhary
bmj.com, 18 Jan 2006 [Full text]