Give all workers the right to a smoke-free environment

As civil servants throughout Northern Ireland head back to work today to completely smoke-free offices, the BMA is again calling for this public health benefit to be extended to all workers here. Doctors are applauding the NI Civil Service's decision to ban smoking in its offices throughout the country from 1st January 2005 but believe that all employees should enjoy the same health rights and be able to work in a safe, tobacco smoke-free environment.

The BMA's NI Council Chairman, Dr Brian Patterson, says that Government here should not delay any longer in introducing a ban on smoking in enclosed public places. "For each two weeks we put off this decision we allow yet another person to die. This is not acceptable and is morally wrong when it could easily be prevented.

"The Health Minister, Angela Smith MP, has recognised that there is incontrovertible evidence that passive smoking kills but still continues to delay in putting an end to this situation. We do not need further consultation, the time for action is now.

"Workers in smoke-filled atmospheres are constantly at risk. Doctors see the deadly results every day of patients who are subjected to second-hand tobacco smoke - heart disease, cancer and respiratory problems. Employees need to be protected and the Department of Health has a duty to ensure this protection.

"There is a groundswell of opinion in Northern Ireland - through the voluntary sector, political parties, healthcare organisations, health boards and trusts - that the only way to prevent people having to suffer breathing in other people's tobacco smoke in public places is to ban it. We urge her to delay no longer and introduce legislation now."

Dr Peter Maguire, Deputy Chairman of the BMA's Board of Science and ardent campaigner for a ban on smoking in enclosed public places, welcomed the fact that civil servants in Northern Ireland would now enjoy safer workplaces. He says: "This is great news for a section of Northern Ireland's workforce but for a large proportion of the remainder there is still no respite from breathing in deadly tobacco smoke.

"These people are being forced to smoke tobacco through passive inhalation and only legislation will give them the opportunity to enjoy the same healthier environment that the Minister for Health will be enjoying now that 2005 has arrived.

"Looking forward to a New Year we want it to be one where everyone is given the opportunity to work in a safe and healthy environment. It can happen if our Government will have the courage to take the same radical step as the Government in the Republic of Ireland did, so successfully, last year."