Response to ASH Scotland Report on the tobacco industry’s “tactics”

The Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association (TMA) has always argued its case quite openly concerning the public smoking ban due to come into effect in Scotland next year. The TMA presented written submissions (all of which are publicly available) on several occasions to the Scottish Executive over the past few years and appeared twice before the Scottish Health Committee to give oral evidence.
Tim Lord, the TMA’s chief executive, said: “The TMA has never made a secret of its reasons for not wanting a complete ban on smoking in public places, and we have obviously put forward our views when asked. What is wrong with that? Anti-smoking activists are simply stirring up trouble for no purpose whatsoever.
“Our arguments centre around freedom of choice and what the public wants, the science of environmental tobacco smoke and the fact that ventilation does work. These are legitimate areas for discussion.”
Public opinion polls have consistently shown that the Scottish public prefer choice to a ban. Even the Scottish Executive’s own public consultation supported this. The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics reveal that only 31% of people want a complete ban on smoking in pubs and bars. Government statistics also show that most employees (88%) work in places where smoking is either prohibited or restricted to designated areas.
Ventilation has a major part to play, in both reducing the amount of environmental tobacco smoke particles and gases in the air, and in preventing smoke from drifting from one area to another.
Although too late for Scotland now, the TMA believes that in England the Government should allow:
·          Smoking rooms in restaurants and pubs that serve food;
·          Smoking throughout, or in smoking rooms as an option, for pubs that do not serve food;
·          Smoking rooms in workplaces where both employers and employees agree.
Tim Lord continued: “We believe it is entirely appropriate for tobacco manufacturers to make an active contribution to encourage responsible smoking policies in public places thereby meeting the needs and preferences of both smokers and non-smokers.”
Notes to Editors:
This press release is issued on behalf of the TMA’s principal member companies: Imperial Tobacco Ltd, Gallaher Ltd and British American Tobacco.

For further information contact:
Gill Silverman
Media and Information Manager
Tel: 020 7544 0108
Mobile: 07712 530 436