Smoking ban in pub gardens will ‘save lives’ says knowledgeable behind tobacco overview

Keir Starmer has defended plans to ban smoking in outdoor areas such as pub gardens saying it would reduce the burden on the crisis-hit NHS.

The PM said more than 80,000 people a year lose their lives through smoking as his new government considers tighter measures in a drive towards a smoke-free future. A poll showed last night showed today a majority of the public support banning smoking in pub gardens and outside restaurants. The YouGov survey found 58% of adults would either tend to support or strongly support the measure – compared to 35% who opposed the move.

Labour is looking at extending Tony Blair’s historic indoor smoking ban to cover pub gardens and outside areas in nightclubs, restaurants, and sports stadiums.

Dr Javed Khan, who wrote a landmark review into achieving a smoke-free England by 2030, said the strict measure would “most definitely” save lives. He told The Mirror : “I strongly welcome it. This was one of the actions I proposed in my report two years ago that the Sunak government, which although they were going ahead with most of what I said, hadn’t embraced this.”

Dr Khan hailed the news as a “step in the right direction”, adding: “I was always hoping when Labour came in, as they promised to implement most of the recommendations, that this was something they’d pick up.”

But while the move was also welcomed by health charities and campaigners, the struggling pub and hospitality sector warned the proposals could inflict “serious harm”.

The Chief Executive of UKHospitality Kate Nicholls said: “A ban on smoking in outdoor spaces comes with the prospect of serious economic harm to hospitality venues. You only have to look back to the significant pub closures we saw after the indoor smoking ban to see the potential impact it could have.

“This ban would not only affect pubs and nightclubs, but hotels, cafes and restaurants that have all invested significantly in good faith in outdoor spaces and continue to face financial challenges.” Clive Watson, chairman of Inda Pubs, which has a small number of outlets in London, also called the possible ban “bonkers”

Responding to a leak of the plans, the PM said: “I start with reminding everybody that 80,000+ people lose their lives through smoking every year.” He told Channel 4 News: “It’s a huge number. That’s a huge impact on the NHS and of course the cost is picked up by the taxpayer. We can’t walk past that.

“We have to be clear about preventative measures, so yes, I do support the measures. I want us to move to a smoke-free environment… I want to reduce the burden on the NHS.”

The measures are expected to form part of a landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill – first introduced by Rishi Sunak but dropped ahead of the General Election. The defeated Tory PM had committed to eventually phase out smoking completely with under-14s never legally allowed to buy cigs.

But Mr Sunak had rejected recommendations from Dr Javed Khan’s independent report into making England smoke-free by 2030 for a ban on smoking in outdoor areas such as pubs.

His government-commissioned report said: “A smokefree society should be the social norm, which is why there should be even more smoke free places (in hospitality and outdoor places where children congregate), where people cannot smoke.” Mr Starmer’s new government now appears to be looking seriously at the recommendation as part of a strengthened Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

According to health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), in the year following the introduction of smoke-free laws in 2007, there was a 2.4% reduction in hospital admissions for heart attacks in England, saving the NHS £8.4 million in the first year alone. ASH welcomed the new plans, adding: “The Government is catching up with what the public expects, and that’s not to have to breathe in tobacco smoke in places like children’s play areas and seating areas outside pubs, restaurants and cafes.”

Dr Khan also said that ex-Labour PM Sir Tony’s plan to ban smoking in pubs and restaurants in 2007 was considered “highly controversial” at the time and said the same people were hitting out at the proposals to ban it in outdoor areas.

“But now everybody has accepted it,” he added. “You wouldn’t expect anybody to light up in a building now anymore. Even smokers agree with the introduction of the bans in 2007.”

He now wants to see a tobacco licence introduced for retailers to limit where the product is available. He told The Mirror: “I went further and said that the Government should ban online sales of all tobacco products to make them less available and to stop supermarkets from selling tobacco products.”

“That might sound a little radical but if you go into Lidl or Aldi, you’ll find no cigarettes on sale there. Their whole business model has never allowed that and it’s done them no harm. They’re actually doing very well. So Morrisons, Asda, Tesco, why not? The same should happen.”