Smoking ban - Certain cost in Minister’s victory

The three months since the smoking ban was introduced in this country is, possibly, too short a time span in which to measure all its collateral affects.

The main objective, to ban smoking from enclosed work places, has been practically achieved, with a compliance rate of 97% claimed.

Undoubtedly, therefore, the measure has been a success, insofar as Minister for Health Mícheál Martin has accomplished what he set out to achieve.

But in doing so, he attracted tremendous criticism from the hospitality industry and even from some of his own Ministerial colleagues.

The industry led a major campaign against the smoking ban, as did the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI), which represents 6,000 publicans outside Dublin.

Their dire warnings of serious business losses, with consequent widespread unemployment, were largely attributed to vested interests whose main concern was profit.

Now, an attempt at quantifying some of those losses has been made and yesterday it was estimated that sales were down between 15 and 20%.

To put it more graphically, beer sales are down by about seven million pints, according to the Irish Brewers Association, a part of IBEC, and which comprises Diageo, Beamish, Heineken and Tennants.

Prior to the introduction of the smoking ban, the sale of draught beer had been in a decline, although it may have been somewhat arrested earlier this year.

Drinks suppliers confirm a drop of 15-25%, with spirits down between 15% and 20%.

The VFI claim a widespread decrease in their members' business, crossing the urban/rural divide, and is calling for a relaxation of the legislation to allow smoking in restricted areas in pubs.

To whatever extent it has happened, there has been a fall-off in business and the example that got most publicity was the cancellation of a conference in Dublin by health insurance company Bupa.

The 700 delegates went to another country and the hotel in question was reckoned to have lost about £250,000 in business directly the cause of the smoking ban, according to Bupa.

This incident supported the prior claim of the Irish Hotels Federation that business would definitely be put at risk.

The advent of the smoking ban has been generally welcomed, and the principle of reducing the level of smoking in the country is one which any reasonable person could not argue with.

Nobody can deny the damage it does to the health of those who indulge and also to passive smokers which has a cumulative serious impact on the cost to the health service.

The ban will be debated again when the constitutional challenge by a Cork taxi driver is heard.

From a pragmatic stance, the smoking ban is a fact of life in this country and the Minister for Health has proved an important point.

But it has been a culture shock for a quarter of the population who smoke, and any review of it should not dismiss the notion of providing an accommodation for them.