Scotland's CMO targets smoking and vaping outside shops
Thursday, July 2, 2020 at 13:42 They couldn't wait, could they?
Non-essential shops reopened in Scotland on June 29 and chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith has already sent a memo to retailers asking them to put up notices warning people not to light up or vape outside shops.
Despite admitting that there is "no scientific evidence" to suggest that the virus can be spread through smoke or vape drift, the acting CMO said the issue had been raised as a "public concern over and above the fact that many find the passive inhaling of tobacco or vape drift unpleasant."
I suspect some behind the scenes lobbying from the tobacco control industry. Either way, it's pathetic.
The Herald published the story this morning and has just updated its report to include Forest's reaction:
The CMO was criticised by the smokers' group Forest for "fuelling" the unwarranted fears about smoking and vaping.
Simon Clark, director of the group said: "Most smokers are considerate and use their common sense when lighting up outside shops or in queues. They don't need more nagging notices telling them how to behave.
"It may be mildly annoying to some people, but not only is there is no evidence linking tobacco smoke or e-cigarette vapour with the spread of Covid-19, there is no evidence that smoking or vaping in the open air poses any significant threat to other people's health.
"Instead of fuelling unwarranted fears about smokers and vapers, the CMO should focus on tackling a genuine public health emergency, the ongoing coronavirus crisis."
See: Scottish health chief urges retailers to stop shoppers smoking and vaping in outdoor queues over 'unproven' Covid fears (Herald)
Reader Comments (4)
Well said. It's not nagging, however, it's bullying.
It's the Drip Effect, as in (a) the advertising technique of changing minds with a steady drip, drip, drip of information rather than a big splash and (b) a campaign run by characters who are, frankly, drips!
This is another example of the relentless propaganda and engineered incremental persecution of smokers by tobacco control activists. There is no evidence supporting this new outdoor ban. But then again all the past bans are based on manipulated data as well.
Simon,
Just read this post, I have been stuck down here in Spain during this coronavirus supposed pandemic. Things are not back to normal yet but we are getting there. This rubbish the CMO of Scotland is spouting is also being spouted over here by the CMO here, he is recommending and advising people not to smoke outdoors in the terraces of cafes and bars stating that it can spread the virus by droplets from people exhaling droplets from the smoke. The bam pots will engage with any claptrap they can get away with as I’m afraid some of the numpties amongst the expats down here believe it. So it looks like forest international if there is such a thing will have to start informing all people of what appears to be collusion between the senior health authorities in Europe and the WHO. Who are supposed to be the experts on this pandemic all disregarding the various studies about how smokers are least affected by this virus. The media and news outlets do not help at all in debating this issue, they are more inclined to terrify people by the way they disseminate the articles to what they want us to believe to be true.