Almost 60% would allow smoking rooms in pubs and clubs in Wales
Sunday, March 26, 2017 at 8:30 Twelve months ago, to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the smoking ban in Scotland, we commissioned a poll of 1,000+ adults living in Scotland.
One of the questions we asked was:
Do you think pubs and private members’ clubs, including working men's clubs, should or should not be allowed to provide a well-ventilated designated smoking room to accommodate smokers?
The response was clear:
Should be allowed 54%
Should not be allowed 40%
Don’t know 6%
Two weeks ago, to mark the tenth anniversary of the smoking ban in Wales which falls on Sunday April 2, we commissioned another poll.
We asked 1,000 people living in Wales exactly the same question and got a very similar response:
Should be allowed 58%
Should not be allowed 37%
Don’t know 5%
The poll is published today and Wales Online has the story here:
A poll has revealed almost 60% of people want smoking rooms in Welsh pubs.
It's worth pointing out that Populus has now asked the same question no fewer than four times since 2015. Two of the four polls were UK-wide, the other two (as I've explained) were in Scotland and Wales.
Every time the response has been the same – a majority in favour of allowing pubs and clubs to provide a well-ventilated designated smoking room to accommodate smokers.
In June 2015 more than half (57%) of a representative sample of more than 2,000 people thought pubs and clubs should be allowed to provide a well-ventilated designated smoking room to accommodate smokers; 43% were opposed to the idea.
Twelve months later, in June 2016, the result was:
Should be allowed 59%
Should not be allowed 36%
Don’t know 5%
These polls are staggeringly consistent.
So when anti-smoking campaigners tell you how popular the smoking ban has been, with compliance rates in the region of 97 per cent, point out that compliance does not equal popularity.
ASH, naturally, has dismissed the poll, which is no surprise. After all, we're getting used to establishment figures discounting the views of ordinary people.
Reader Comments (4)
compliance rates in the region of 97 per cent
Only because we don't want to get the landlord a hefty fine.
Reasonable people know that both those who like smoking and those who hate it can be accommodated and should be. No one should have smoking forced upon them but neither should smokers have someone else's choice not to smoke forced upon them.
In the 21st century where tolerance and respect are being promoted as the norm, govt should think again and introduce an element of choice for property owners to be able to offer comfortable venues for smokers who want to use them.
The blanket ban was never about choice but the launch of a scaremongering hate campaign to enable the shoehorning in of more bans and stigma in a bid to bully smokers to quit.
The smoking ban was never based on a popular demand; rather it was and remains a top-down imposition.
It is ironic that Dictator Arnott now claims popular sentiment is irrelevant in matters of health since tobacco control routinely asserts there is majority support for bans. I guess for controllers majority support only matters if the majority agrees with you.
Of course all the usual suspects are attacking the results of the poll in typical tobacco control moderated mob fashion.
This is clear evidence there is little support for smoking bans and time for amending the ban to allow accommodation for smokers.
This should be the time to accommodate everyone. Only central and local governments have supported smoking bans due to the funding available.
Yet they still steal, discriminate and deliver punitive measures to those who choose to smoke based on lies.
I could get the personal message; swallowing the message that a smoker kills everyone around them is brainwashing and downright inhuman.
Has a study been commissioned surrounding the pounds negative effect of smoking bans?
Loneliness certainly springs to mind when people are not catered for which is a huge social issue for our country.
Just open places where smokers can go and benefits would include many pounds plus for social care.
It's not rocket science and beggars belief.