Brighton spin watch

I was on BBC Radio Sussex this morning.

They wanted Forest's response to the news - which I reported yesterday - that Brighton Council is set to reject proposals to ban smoking on parks and beaches.

Make no mistake, that is the headline-grabbing fact to come out of the public consultation because when it was announced in the summer every report - and it was very widely reported - highlighted the threat to smoking on Brighton's beaches.

Some headlines even inferred - before the consultation had even begun - that it was a fait accompli.

Instead, in the clip that preceded my interview, BBC Sussex chose to highlight the relatively minor fact that smoking is to be 'banned' in children's play areas and outside school gates.

To emphasise the point they even included some vox pop interviews with members of the public recorded, I think, outside a school.

The mindset seemed to be, let's spin this to create a positive a result for tobacco control. Smoking may have been reprieved on beaches, in parks and 'historic' squares but let's focus on areas where smoking will be further restricted.

In addition, much is being made of the fact that Brighton Council is to work with pubs and restaurants to encourage them to introduce a voluntary ban on smoking outside. Good luck with that.

Anyway I'll be interested to see whether the consultation report - especially the decision to drop the proposal to ban smoking on Brighton's beaches - is picked up by the media at large.

To date it's only been reported by Brighton and Hove News, the Brighton Argus and BBC Radio Sussex. (Nothing, as yet, on the BBC's regional online news let alone their national news.)

In the summer however, as I've already mentioned, the consultation was reported by every national newspaper and the BBC News (nationally and locally) was all over it.

I lost count of the number of interviews I did. Forest was even quoted on CBBC's Newsround (a first!).

So far, with the exception of the local media, silence.

That puts the onus on us - bloggers, readers and other interested observers - to spread the message far and wide.

If (I don't want to count my chickens) Brighton Council supports the recommendations of the consultation report, this could be a very important moment.

I can't stress how damaging it would have been had the decision gone in favour of extending the smoking ban to parks and beaches.

Thankfully that hasn't happened - yet - but this is no time for complacency.

PS. As an aside, I've never understood why Brighton's horribly pebbly beach is considered an attraction. I like parts of the town but the beach? Meh.

Smoking could be BANNED at the school gate in #Brighton and #Hove https://t.co/2deRZEMhBJ pic.twitter.com/k4rA8NT3lf

— BBC Sussex (@BBCSussex) December 9, 2015

Are you seriously suggesting this is the headline story? Try 'Beach smoking ban proposal dropped'. https://t.co/WzUMB5mgsC @BBCSussex

— Forest (@Forest_Smoking) December 9, 2015

Comments

[Vinny Gracchus]

It's clear the antismokers and their media supporters are trying to snap eye information space to their advantage. Admitting failure could reverse the momentum they have gained by imposing indoor bans, bans on smoking in cars with children and incremental outdoor bans in play areas.

Acknowledging public rejection to their draconian bans at beaches and other outdoor spaces threatens the movement they have so carefully shaped by squashing dissent and cherry-picking studies that shoe harm from second hand smoke indoors. They have widely ignored the polls showing a majority supports amending the indoor smoking ban to allow separate indoor smoking rooms.

The widespread tobacco control censorship of dissenting opinions, studies that contradict their polemic position papers and apologies must be countered with web comments, letter to editors, and letters to elected officials at all levels from council members to MPs.