European Parliament calls for smoking to be banned indoors

SMOKING should be totally banned indoors and in private cars because passive smoking kills, according to a report to the European Parliament.

It is responsible for more than 79,000 deaths a year in the EU and in the hospitality sector alone one worker dies every day from the effects of passive smoking, MEP Avril Doyle pointed out in the report.

Ms Doyle says there is widespread demand to ban smoking with a recent Eurobarometer survey showing 86% of people favour no smoking in the workplace while 84% say it should be banned in any indoor space.

She points out that only such a ban would protect children from adults smoking.

“If tobacco was introduced today it would be outlawed, not only does it poison those who are addicted to it but also those who have to live with smokers.

“The body of scientific evidence is overwhelming: there is no doubt within the international scientific community that second-hand smoke causes chronic diseases, yet tobacco companies continue to deny the risks of exposure to passive smoke,” she said.

A member of the European Parliament’s environment, public health and food safety committee, Ms Doyle said healthy indoor air is a basic right and the only way to achieve it is by a comprehensive ban on smoking.

“The only way to protect people’s health, de-normalise smoking and reduce active smoking is through a comprehensive ban. Anything less than an outright ban would mean failing to protect those most vulnerable and exposed to serious risk,” she said.

Second-hand smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals and 69 known carcinogens and toxic agents. It increases the risk of lung cancer and respiratory disease and is associated among other things with sudden infant death, pneumonia, bronchitis and asthma.

The European Commission has set out several policy options ranging from partial bans to a comprehensive ban on smoking. But the paper points out that if the ban is only partial, then the most vulnerable groups would continue to be exposed to second-hand smoke, including people who work in pubs.

The report, together with amendments including those from Ms Doyle, will be voted on in the European Parliament next month asking member states to implement bans by 2011. However, member states most likely will continue to make up their own minds on whether to outlaw smoking and where it should be banned.