Smoking ban - Taking the lead paid off for Ireland

One often hears the complaint that members of the current Government have lacked the courage to take the lead in various matters, whether in relation to Government extravagance, bureaucratic bungling, or the growing binge drinking culture, but the rest of the world is citing the Irish Government’s leadership in banning smoking in the workplace.

It will be one year next week since the ban was introduced. Despite the vociferous opposition of a vocal minority, the public has accepted the ban with extraordinary enthusiasm.

Opponents were always a small minority, seeing that vast majority of people are non-smokers. Many of the smokers recognised the health hazards of their own habit and realised that it was neither fair nor proper that they should endanger the health of others by smoking tobacco in confined spaces.