Intended for healthcare professionals

Letters UK smoking ban in outdoor spaces

We don’t need an “evidence base” for a smoking ban in outdoor spaces

BMJ 2015; 350 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h1442 (Published 18 March 2015) Cite this as: BMJ 2015;350:h1442
  1. Philip Barber, consultant respiratory physician and lung cancer lead clinician1
  1. 1University Hospital of South Manchester, Manchester M23 9LT, UK
  1. phil.barber{at}uhsm.nhs.uk

I support the right of local authorities and institutions to impose and police a ban on any “managed” outdoor spaces visited by the public.1 With the indoor ban (which also generated opposition and the constant invocation of “personal freedom”) in place, the air in some public spaces, especially thresholds, is heavily contaminated with cigarette smoke.

A ban in outdoor public places would build on the incredible success of the …

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