Smoking is a huge health hazard that has come a lot into the public eye recently. It used to be considered the ‘norm’ to smoke and was accepted in most establishments, now however, smoking is being recognised as the health hazard that it is not only to the person who smokes but to the people and environment around the smoker.
Many establishments have allocated a non-smoking area some banning smoking altogether. It is no longer acceptable to smoke in public places and workplaces are banning smoking from the premises. Many pubs and restaurants are banning smoking though out the entire establishment and only allowing smoking outside. Public transport has banned all smoking on there vehicles for some time as smoking in confined areas is much worse as the smoke has no where else to go.
There is however no law for smoking on the open road, in your own transport or at home. There have been many campaigns to give advice to smokers of the dangers of smoking in the home in relation to fires given out by the fire service. The children and young persons (protection from tobacco) Act 1991 makes it illegal to sell any tobacco products to anyone below the age of 16. The Act increased the maximum fines to £2500 for retailers found to be in breach of this Act and has tightened up the previous legislation in a number of other ways. However, in 1994 children aged between 11 and 16 spent approximately £135 million on cigarettes and in 1995-1997 there was an average of 140 prosecutions a year for under age sales with average fines of £200 to £800, so there is still a way to go.
There has recently been a very aggressive ad campaign by the government featuring several shock adverts of people who are or have died from the effects of smoking followed shortly by notices on how to give up with the help of help lines and group support funded by the NHS. Treating patients for smoking related diseases cost the NHS 1.7 billion a year so there is clear reason for the NHS to promote such health concerns.
