Steden willen meer haast achter rookverbod
Uitgerekend de twee meest vervuilde steden van Engeland, Londen en Liverpool, willen bij de Engelse regering aandringen op meer haast bij de invoering van een rookverbod in de horeca.
Een eerder door de regering aangekondigd plan, waarin per 2008 een gedeeltelijk rookverbod in de pubs zou ingaan, gaat deze steden niet ver genoeg.
Liverpool City Council and the Association of London Government (ALG) – representing London’s 33 councils – have made the decision to pressure government because neither feels the white paper on health does enough to protect workers.
The councils are to formally place private bills before Parliament to ban smoking in pubs, clubs, restaurants, shops and offices to protect employees being exposed to cigarette smoke. The legislation is being put forward on health and safety grounds and is similar to laws already in force in Ireland and New York.
Sir Robin Wales, chair of the ALG, said: “People have the choice of smoking or not, or whether they wish to stay in smoke-filled environments. However the people working in our leisure venues do not have that choice.
“Recent polls have shown that Londoners themselves back a ban on smoking in public places. This bill is evidence of boroughs listening to and acting on the concerns of their local communities.”
N.B. deze polls werden uitgevoerd en gefinancierd door voorstanders van het rookverbod. Andere enquêtes tonen hele andere meerderheden aan.
