Letter: Your Say - Smoking Ban Will Benefit All

Jun 30, 02:35 AM

Current Headlines: By Dr Mike Knapton

WITH the smoking ban coming into force in England tomorrow, it's worth remembering what a milestone this is for the nation's health.

Removing the toxin of second-hand smoke from our offices, factories, pubs and cafes is arguably the biggest advance in public health since the creation of the NHS.

Some still argue the ban infringes civil liberties. On the contrary, the ban liberates non-smokers from having to breathe in this dangerous substance while at work - while still affording smokers the choice to smoke in private.

The link between passive smoking and ill-health has been well- established, with evidence funded by the British Heart Foundation estimating that non-smokers who work in smoke-filled atmospheres have up to a 50 per cent increased risk of developingcoronary heart disease.

As such, this legislation should be welcomed for the potential it has to significantly reduce passive smoking in all our lives and reducing our risk of serious diseases like heart disease, stroke, cancer and asthma.

The ban should also have a beneficial side-effect of offering the perfect environment for the majority of smokers who want to quit to succeed. The ban implemented in Scotland last year has made a huge difference, with more than a third of Scottishsmokers agreeing that ban had helped them cut down.

With the help of the smoking ban, together we can beat heart disease, for those living today - and tomorrow.

Dr Mike Knapton, director of prevention and care, British Heart Foundation.

(c) 2007 Coventry Evening Telegraph. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.