Scottish Government forces Glasgow Games to be "smoke-free"
Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 6:10 The organisers of next year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow have announced they will be "smoke-free".
A press release, embargoed until midnight last night, revealed that:
Glasgow 2014 has worked in conjunction with the Scottish Government, and with encouragement from ASH Scotland, to define its 'smoke-free' policy.
This will mean no smoking within the venues or venue perimeters, making it the most progressive smoking policy at any major sporting event held in Scotland ...
The policy being introduced for the Games meets with World Health Organisation criteria as to what constitutes a 'smoke-free' sporting event.
During the Games, clear signage will remind spectators of the no-smoking restrictions supported both by public address and big screen messages within venues, as well as social media.
Invited to comment by one Scottish newspaper on Friday, Forest issued the following press release:
Campaigners have criticised the decision to make the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014 completely 'smoke-free'.
Simon Clark, director of the smokers' group Forest, said: "This is a political decision that has nothing to do with public health.
"The Scottish Government, in association with ASH Scotland, is imposing its extreme anti-smoking doctrine on an event that belongs to the Commonwealth, not Scotland alone.
"The London Olympic Games faced similar pressure from anti-smoking groups and politicians but organisers had the courage to reject an outright ban on smoking in outdoor locations and allow designated smoking areas.
"The London Games were considered to be one of the most friendly and hospitable sporting events ever. It's sad the organisers of Glasgow 2014 haven't followed their example because the message they are sending to thousands of potential spectators is, you're not welcome here."
The BBC, as it often does, has ignored any comment from anyone who might disagree with the Scottish Government's anti-smoking crusade. (See Glasgow 2014: Organisers plan 'smoke-free' games published at 19:07 last night.)
Thankfully not every media organisation is as biased as the BBC. The Mail on Sunday, Sunday Post and Scotland on Sunday (Glasgow 2014: Smoking to be banned around venues) have all quoted us but that doesn't change the fact that the Scottish Government, "with encouragement from ASH Scotland" (ie an organisation funded almost entirely by the taxpayer), is using an international sporting event to pursue its own domestic agenda.
Classy.
Reader Comments (11)
Pity the Scottish Government doesn't spend more time and money making sure their football matches are hooligan free.
It's not actually a total smoking ban - athletes' will be be allowed to smoke in their accommodation.....
London did it properly. These public bodies blather on about equality and no discrimination and then discriminate. I don't like tobacco smoke, but those who smoke, 20% of the population, should be accommodated. Not only it is simply nasty to ban smokers, it's stupid commercially too. If the Scoittish parliament is so anti smoking why don't they ban it entirely and outlaw tobacco? Lost votes and lost tax. Hypocrits.
This is blatant discrimination and is the first step ensuring smokers are excluded from whole events in future. Shame on them.
So now " progressive" is a euphemism for "repressive"
John: Unfortunately it has been for some time.
And this from a country which relies on whisky production for much of its economy. Selective moralising stinks, always has, always will.
No wonder I’ve saved so much money since the smoking ban! I automatically assume that these events will be non-smoking whenever I hear them first advertised and unless someone or something brings to my attention that some provision will be made for smokers (as happened with the 2012 Olympics), I then simply don’t consider going along because I know it will just be a huge endurance test rather than an event to be enjoyed.
Ditto, whenever I hear adverts saying words to the effect of “a wonderful time for everyone,” or “a great place for everyone to visit,” or “for the safety and comfort of all our customers” or “a great stay guaranteed or your money back,” etc. I mentally add “except for smokers” at the end and write off the event/venue as not worth considering.
I worked at the 2012 Olympics in a relatively senior position. Wherever I was sent I found that the 'smoking enclosures' were difficult to get to, were far away from any venue access points and were never cleaned. They were all, without exception, revolting.
In common with all other staff employed on whatever venue I was working at, we all ignored the smoking bans. We smoked where we wanted and where we wanted.
Why? The smokers outnumbered the non-smokers as far as I could tell. I heard of no 'whistle-blower' reports either. The Military and the Police also ignored the No Smoking On Site edicts.
Steve: Well done, good man and all your mates. That is, definitely, one way to make it irrelevant, to ignore it. If only this attitude had occurred 6 years ago.
Well done, again.
Ditto Frank!