Statistics a 'blatant lie', claim vintners

A CLAIM 150 bar staff die each year from passive smoking is a blatant lie, pub owners said yesterday.

Fighting Government plans to ban smoking in pubs, publicans' representatives said the statistic was just scaremongering. The ban is unworkable and cannot be policed, they said.

A report published last week by the Office of Tobacco Control (OTC) and the Health and Safety Authority referred to a study which estimated 150 bar staff die as a result of passive smoking.

Exposure can cause lung cancer and heart disease, it said.

Yesterday the Vintners Federation of Ireland and Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) said the report was inaccurate. They accused the Government of failing to consult with them on the plans to ban smoking in pubs.

But Minister Micheál Martin stood by the report and his plans to enforce a total ban on smoking in all workplaces from January 1 2004.

"The minister would completely back the report and his actions following on from it have proved that," a spokesperson for Mr Martin said.

LVA chief executive Frank Fell said their records showed no difference in the life expectancy of bar workers and the general population.

"Both organisations can categorically state that over the past 20 years there is no record of bar staff dying from the effects of smoke and the reported statistic of 150 bar staff dying each year is scaremongering and a blatant lie," he said.

Last night OTC spokesperson Valerie Robinson said the research was conducted by internationally renowned scientist Jim Repace and Western Health Board environmental health officer Maurice Mulcahy.

It is the only Irish study to examine the effects of passive smoking in pubs and was conducted in 14 bars in Galway.

International studies also showed that there was unequivocal evidence of the danger of passive smoke to bar workers, Ms Robinson said.

"They did focus a fair amount on hospitality and bar workers and said these people were at risk.

The report also found that even the most modern ventilation system did not reduce environmental tobacco smoke (passive smoking) completely," she said.

Demanding an urgent meeting with the minister, the vintners said a rational debate on how to resolve the issue of smoking in pubs issue was required.

"If they want to stop smoking then ban the product completely rather than proposing a ban in public houses which is unworkable and cannot be policed," said Mr Fell.