In his speech today, at the BMA's fringe meeting at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton, BMA Chairman, Mr James Johnson, called upon the Health Secretary, John Reid, to introduce a total ban of smoking in enclosed public places and emphasised that a ban must include pubs and restaurants.
Mr Johnson, said: "Tomorrow sees six months of workplace legislation in Ireland. In that short time, 96% of pubs are smoke-free, tobacco sales are down, and more than 7000 smokers have quit successfully.
The last six months in the UK has meant at least 350 more deaths among workers because of second hand smoke ? that's two workers dying every day. Among the most heavily exposed are workers in bars and clubs, just 1% of which are smoke-free.
What is John Reid waiting for? The health risks are beyond any doubt. The Irish experience shows that smoke-free laws are workable and enforceable."
In his speech - "Making Health Choices: the balance between individual and collective choice in public health" - Mr Johnson argues that individuals should be free to make their own choices wherever possible, but sometimes it is only possible to make a single collective choice. If there is indisputable evidence of danger to others from unhealthy behaviour, the Government should take decisive action ? as with seat belt and drink driving laws. But if there is not a danger, then the Government should seek to create an environment that helps people to make informed choices. "The Government cannot simply proclaim 'choice' as a euphemism for individual responsibility and as an excuse to abdicate its own" Mr Johnson said.
Mr Johnson urges the Government to lift the barriers that can hinder a person's ability to act upon their choice: "If people are allowed to smoke in pubs and clubs, and this is the norm, then a major barrier is placed on the individual's power to stop smoking. Smokers trying to give up must either resist the temptation of a smoke-filled environment or they must give up their social life along with their cigarettes. And what choice is there for bar workers who are exposed to second-hand smoke levels six times that of office workers?"
There are other aspects of public health, where the Government can act now to safeguard the nation's future health:
Improving access to sexual health clinics to help tackle the spiralling number of cases of sexually transmitted infections. Working with the food industry to ensure effective labelling of food products to allow individuals to make informed choices about what they eat. Creating safe cycle routes and developing walking networks to encourage a higher uptake of physical exercise. Demanding warning labels on alcoholic drinks to alert the public to the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption.