| Scotland bans Smoking in Public Areas |
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A smooth passage to a smoke-free future has been made by Scotland yesterday as ministers hailed the introduction of the law banning lighting up in public places as the "largest single step" to improve the nation’s health for generations.
Becoming a first across United Kingdom, a sweeping ban on smoking in Scotland’s pubs and restaurants came into force on Sunday. From 6:00am it became sedition to light up a cigarette in nearly every enclosed public place north of the border - with smokers facing about US$ 87 on-the-spot fine.
It gives the impression that the local authorities - who are responsible for enforcing the ban around Scotland, are probably following the exhortation of the First Minister, Jack McConnell, to take a "softly-softly" approach to the introduction of the revolutionary measure, as by 10pm, councils in Scotland’s major cities said no fines had been issued to smokers scoffing the new law.
A big drop in the number of deaths caused by passive smoking, estimated at about thousand a year in Scotland, is expected by the Experts with the ban on lighting up in pubs, restaurants, cafes and offices. The ban is part of a broader drive to change a lifestyle of heavy drinking and smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise which has earned Scotland, with a population of five million, the nickname "sick man of Europe."
On the other hand, the ban on smoking came with a warning from landlords and smokers’ groups that its potential benefits had been exaggerated and would lead to pub closures and job losses. It is found in a poll that 21 per cent of smokers intended to snub the law. The Scottish Licensed Trade Association fears the closure of 140 pubs and that 2,500 jobs may be lost because of the ban.
In spite of warnings that the new regulations would be resisted by smokers, it appeared last night that most of the Scots decided to comply with the new rules, which came into force at 6am yesterday.
Scotland’s First Minister, Jack McConnell acknowledged that the ban was necessary to reduce deaths from cancer, heart disease and strokes despite resistance. He said, "I think we’ve got to be realistic about this. There are going to be people who will be inconvenienced by the ban. But I also believe Scotland is a law-abiding country," He added, "In the years ahead, people will look back on today as the day that Scotland took the largest single step to improve its health for generations," marking the ban as gallantry he said, "Scotland will be proud that it has gone smoke-free ahead of any other part of the UK."
Though the individual smokers in pubs voiced their complaints that their days of a puff with their pint were at an end, but surveys indicate that more than 60 percent of Scots support the ban.
Introduction of the law banning lighting up in Scotland is inspired by Ireland, which established the world’s first nation-wide smoking ban in 2004, and a string of other countries which followed its lead. England, Wales and Northern Ireland are expected to impose similar bans next year.
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