Ireland to Ban Smoking in Workplace (That Means Pubs, Too) (NYT login: FRITOPIE, password: FRITOPIE)
Hey, Scott; this one's for you. I know that you're not at all impressed with the Dallas City Council's banning of smoking in restaurants, but I'm one of those folks jumping for joy. On a related note, it's nice to see that someone in Europe is finally beginning to show some common sense on this issue.
DUBLIN, Jan. 30 — Ireland will ban smoking in all workplaces, including pubs and restaurants, starting in 2004, Health Minister Micheal Martin said today, angering tobacco manufacturers and publicans who called the ban unenforceable and an infringement of personal liberties.
The announcement coincided with the Irish Office of Tobacco Control's publication of a study on the effects of secondhand smoke, which found that people who work in smoky environments are up to 30 percent more likely to get heart disease, among other illnesses.
"The bottom line is you don't have to be a smoker to get cancer from cigarette smoking," Mr. Martin said in a statement, adding, "It is only fair that we have a level playing field in this important area of public health and that the health of workers is protected on an equitable basis for all."
The ban mirrors increasing health consciousness in Irish society. Public opinion has swung in recent years against the country's notorious consumption of alcohol, and Dublin authorities recently began enforcing a 10-year-old ban on smoking on city buses. Mr. Martin asserted today that almost 90 percent of Irish people favor extending bans on environmental tobacco smoke.
Still, 31 percent of the general population smoke, and 40 percent of women 18 to 34. Seven thousand deaths a year are ascribed to tobacco-related illnesses in Ireland.
Eventually, most developed countries will begin to realize the toll that cigarettes exact on their people. Most of Europe is still years behind us on this issue, but what is starting in Ireland may well percolate across the rest of the continent. I applaud Mr. Martin for being willing to take this step. He will be a lightning rod for many, and a hero for many others. In the end, I think his courage will be vindicated- and Ireland will be a healthier place for it.