UK News 16-11-2004 Smoking Banned in Workplaces who: Health Secretary John Reid what: Unveils White Paper on Public Health where: House of Commons, LONDON when: Today snippet: "The Government will today announce a ban on smoking in all workplaces and anywhere serving food," says The Times. "The move will be included in the biggest public health reforms in years, along with smoking, junk food and the sexual health crisis." BBC News claims its correspondent has "learned" that the White Paper on Public Health, about to be unveiled by health secretary John Reid, will "make most enclosed public areas, including offices and factories, smoke-free. Only private clubs, where members voted to allow smoking, and pubs which do not serve prepared food would be exempt." The legislation is expected to affect more than half of English pubs. The Guardian says Dr Reid will "face universal condemnation from doctors and health professionals" for stopping short of a total smoking ban in enclosed public places. "He will defend the compromise - a more limited measure than the outright ban practised in Ireland and proposed for Scotland - by warning that a complete ban could drive smoking back into the home and so endanger the health of children." "There are urgent social and economic reasons for switching emphasis from treating illness to preventing ill health," says Jeremy Laurance, The Independent`s health editor. A recent government-commissioned report on the future of the NHS by Sir Derek Wanless warned that "smoking rates must be halved during the next 20 years and the problems of obesity and health inequalities tackled now if the main threats to our future health were to be averted". [... more]

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