A UK city council has said it wants to ban smoking, and make the entire place “smoke free” by 2030, much to the annoyance of locals.
The city council has expressed its desire to “de-normalise” smoking by implementing a ban and using existing laws to increase control over tobacco. The authority revealed that about 17% of residents are smokers, spending an average of £2,500 per year on the deadly habit.
While there are currently no smoke-free cities in the UK, Bristol is expected to be the first as it is currently testing smoke-free public spaces, with Liverpool hoping to follow suit.
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Around £2million is going to be pumped into the scheme, with a spokesman stating: “The council wants a smoke-free city allowing all its communities to live longer, healthier and wealthier where they can play and work without exposure to the harms of tobacco smoke. In addition to causing avoidable illness, smoking creates a greater burden for the most disadvantaged.”
(Image: Getty Images)
But locals are not happy. On social media site Twitter/X, one wrote: “They want to ban smoking cigarettes in the city. I was in our city yesterday. The only thing you can see and smell is people smoking spice. They want to try banning that on the street first.”
And a second dubbed it “very totalitarian,” while a third raged: “Liverpool City Councilors: the f***ing prohibitionists who want to ban smoking everywhere in Liverpool. For many, smoking is the one pleasure they have you dictators. Wish the worst to all of you c***s.”
The strategy was unveiled just days after the government’s controversial proposals to prevent the sale of tobacco to anyone born after January 1, 2009 were shelved ahead of the general election.
(Image: Getty Images)
The plan, known as Stopping the Start, was drawn up following an independent review in 2022 and according to Liverpool Council, pledges within that blueprint make this “ the right time to develop and implement the new Liverpool Tobacco Control Strategy.”
The cabinet report said: “The vision is simple: the council wants Liverpool to become a smoke free city allowing all its communities to live longer, healthier and wealthier lives in a city where they can play and work without exposure to the harms of tobacco smoke.”
It is hoped the strategy will align with government ambition of a smoking prevalence of 5% or less by 2030. If adopted as anticipated, the tobacco control alliance will lead the delivery of the scheme.
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