Smoking proposals insufficient: BMA NI

The British Medical Association (BMA) for Northern Ireland has said the proposals in Tuesday’s English Public Health White Paper on passive smoking “do not go far enough”.

Deputy Chairman of the BMA's Board of Science, Dr Peter Maguire, said such proposals if introduced in Northern Ireland would not be enough to protect the health and lives of all workers and what is needed in the province is a smoking ban as far reaching as the one to be implemented in Scotland.

Commenting on the proposals, Dr Maguire, who is a consultant anaesthetist in Newry, said: “The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has the power to legislate for a ban similar to that in Scotland and the Republic of Ireland and should do so without further delay.

"Although the Public Health White Paper applies only to England, there are proposals contained within it that would have an impact on the health of people in Northern Ireland.”

The Government revealed yesterday that smoking could be banned in every cafe, restaurant and most pubs in England within four years.

The White Paper on Public Health plans to make most enclosed public areas, including offices and factories, smoke-free.

The new plans mean that up to 90% of bars could be smoke-free within a few years.

(MB/SP)