TMA Response to John Reid’s white paper “Choosing Health”

Tim Lord, chief executive of The Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association, issued the following statement today commenting on the Choosing Health White Paper published today by the Secretary of State for Health John Reid.
We welcome the comments from the Health Secretary John Reid that the White Paper is about individual choice and responsibility. We also recognise that public opinion has evolved on this issue. However the White Paper outlines a total ban on smoking in all workplaces and restaurants and effectively the vast majority of pubs. This goes beyond what the public has said it wants. We are disappointed at this missed opportunity to strike the right balance between sensible regulation and voluntary measures that accommodate non-smokers and smokers alike.

“Opinion polls have consistently shown that the majority of people want to see more restrictions on smoking in certain types of public places but they do not want a total ban, especially in pubs. The current policy of voluntary self-regulation has allowed the hospitality industry to make real progress in providing more non-smoking facilities and better-ventilated premises in line with customers’ choice. Hospitality operators are committed to continuing these efforts and we understand they had discussed and were close to agreeing new targets with the Government.

“We believe that the Government can accommodate both smokers and non-smokers in pubs and workplaces and that ventilation and segregation or designated smoking rooms are what the majority of people want.

“We welcome John Reid’s promise of consultation over the details of his proposal in the hope that more practical and workable solutions can be achieved than those set out by the Health Secretary today.”

Notes to Editors

1. This press release is issued on behalf of the TMA’s principal member companies: Imperial Tobacco Ltd, Gallaher Ltd and British American Tobacco.

2. Environmental tobacco smoke: Health organisations and anti-smoking groups claim that people are dying every year from environmental tobacco smoke (ETS or so-called “passive smoking”) and that this is why legislation is necessary. These claims are made with a certainty that implies they are backed by conclusive evidence. They are not. The studies on which these claims are based when taken as a whole do not demonstrate a causal link between ETS and chronic diseases. The scientific evidence does not justify calls for a total ban on smoking in the workplace or other places. It is quite possible to look after the interests of staff and accommodate the preferences of smokers and non-smokers with sensible policies and a choice of designated smoking and non-smoking areas.

Mrs G. Silverman
gsilverman@the-tma.org.uk
020 7544 0108