Bristol will today become the first UK city to ban smoking in major outdoor public spaces.
According to Smokefree South West:
Two central Bristol squares popular with families are set to become the UK’s first major public outdoor spaces to go smokefree when a new voluntary pilot smokefree zone launches next Monday (2nd February), to coincide with the 2015 South West Be There Tomorrow advertising campaign.
The pilot, which will come into effect in Millennium and Anchor Squares on Bristol’s harbourside, follows a major report last year by former health minister Lord Darzi that suggested London and other UK cities should move to make major parks and public places Smokefree.
Top international cities including New York, Toronto and Hong Kong have banned smoking in key outdoor locations, but Bristol has become the first city in the UK to pilot a voluntary no-smoking ban in a major outdoor area using positive, colourful signage.
Fiona Andrews, director of Smokefree South West, which initiated the pilot, says: “This is an exciting initiative that we hope will have a lasting impact on not just Millennium Square and Anchor Square, but the wider region and potentially the rest of the UK. These city centre squares are often full of children playing and this pilot will provide a smokefree environment for kids and their families to enjoy.”
Councillor Daniella Radice, Assistant Mayor for Public Health, says: “In this year that Bristol is proud to be the European Green Capital, I am excited to see how this pilot can change people’s habits and make Bristol an even more enjoyable place to live and to visit.”
As I mentioned in my previous post, I am currently in Bristol to do some interviews on the subject. This is Forest's response:
Campaigners have criticised a pilot scheme designed to stop people smoking in the open air.
Millennium Square and Anchor Square in Bristol will become the UK’s first major public outdoor spaces to go smoke free following the launch of a voluntary scheme on Monday 2 February.
Simon Clark, director of the smokers' group Forest, said it was an example of "creeping prohibition".
He said: "Smoking is banned in all enclosed public places. Now campaigners want to ban it outside. This is creeping prohibition.
"Extending public smoking bans to outdoor areas is illiberal and unwarranted. Smoking in the open air harms no-one apart, perhaps, from the consumer and that's their choice.
"Tobacco is a legal product. Smokers contribute £10 billion a year in tobacco taxation alone. They must be allowed to light up somewhere without harassment."
Be in no doubt, this is the start of a long campaign to prohibit smoking in all major outdoor spaces in the UK.
If compliance isn't one hundred per cent expect a campaign for national legislation. Failing that, local tobacco control campaigners will ask local councils to introduce by-laws so that smokers can be prosecuted.
The crucial phrase is "popular with families". Ultimately, any outdoor space frequented by adults and children will be a target for prohibition.
That means parks, squares and beaches.
By why stop there? High streets, car parks, residential roads, they are all vulnerable to this sickening tide of regulation disguised (initially) as "voluntary" but in reality nothing of the sort.
By the time all those 'No Smoking' signs have gone up, giving the green light to every busybody to tut-tut, wave their hand in front of their nose or worse, few if any smokers will risk being shamed or shouted at.
Violence? Quite possibly.
Meanwhile it's interesting that this initiative is being driven not by the local council but by an unelected NGO, Smokefree South West.
I don't know how many people Smokefree South West employs but not enough, it seems, to handle their own media affairs.
Yes, this taxpayer-funded organisation is using a PR company, Spirit PR, to arrange interviews on its behalf.
Meanwhile, in addition to Smokefree South West, tax payers are also funding Smokefree Bristol.
Smokefree Bristol describes itself as an "e-cigarette friendly" service. Does that mean vaping is still allowed in Millennium and Anchor Squares?
I'll try and find out.
Update: The BBC, Guardian and Sky News has comments from Forest.