Scientific evidence on environmental tobacco smoke (ETS or so-called "passive smoking") is inconclusive and does not justify a total ban on smoking in public places, it was argued at a conference on public smoking in Edinburgh today.
A more scientifically justifiable approach would be to focus on improving general air quality through better ventilation, combined with greater choice of non-smoking and smoking facilities, delegates were told.
Today's conference was organised by the Scottish Licensed Trade ' Association (SLTA) to debate the issues raised by the Scottish Executive's proposed new law prohibiting smoking in all enclosed public places.
Dr. Steven Stotesbury, a scientist from Imperial Tobacco, presented an analysis of studies, most of them carried out in America or Asia, that have looked at the association between exposure to ETS and increased risk of serious diseases, such as lung cancer and heart disease, among non-smokers. Few of the studies were large enough to give any clear indication of increased risk and the largest studies produced inconsistent results. Stotesbury said: "Any objective assessment of the evidence must conclude that if there is an increased risk of chronic diseases, such as lung cancer and heart disease, from exposure to ETS, it is small and hard to measure with any certainty."