SUBMISSION BY DAVID THOMPSON

I am writing in favour of THE PROHIBITION OF SMOKING IN REGULATED AREAS ( SCOTLAND) BILL, launched on 4th February 2004 by Mr Stewart Maxwell MSP. I fully support this Bill, and in fact would go much further in saying that smoking should be banned in ALL buildings to which the public have access, and that includes Pubs, which ,after all ,were initially set up for the consumption of alcohol only. In those times, smoking of course, was never ever thought to be a danger to health in any way ,and people smoked just about anywhere including Pubs and Cinemas, thankfully, now there is a no smoking policy regarding the latter, but nothing whatsoever has been done about smoking in Pubs and other buildings to which the Public have access. For instance, my wife went into a Baker's shop the other day and smelt cigarette smoke right away.

Now whether it was the staff or customers responsible does not really matter. The fact is that nobody should be smoking in these premises AT ANY TIME. I am only one of the great majority of people in this country who are sick of smoke filled atmospheres in places as mentioned above. After an evening

in a smoke filled Pub , the clothes you were wearing at the time, smell of cigarette smoke sometimes . for days afterwards. One can only imagine what effect the same smoke has on your lungs. This situation is totally unacceptable. Nowadays, we are left in no doubt as to the dangers of smoking, with expert medical opinions regarding same, coupled with health warnings on cigarette packets etc. etc., yet still, in spite of numerous warnings, people will carry on smoking, regardless of the feelings of anyone around them.

I realise that this Bill only concerns eating places, and so I will concentrate on this at the moment. The present set up of smoking and none smoking areas in these premises is nothing short of farcical, and is obviously in place to please smokers. I can think of no other reason for this situation, than Governments past or present, do not wish to lose votes from smokers at election time, and, or, are concerned at losing revenue from cigarettes in one way or another. This way of thinking is beyond me, as stopping people from smoking in Eating places or Pubs, will unfortunately not affect the sale of cigarettes in any way. Would it not be grand if the present government would have the courage to come off the fence in favour of the none smokers. One thing for sure is that it is going to happen sooner, rather than later, as the vast majority of the population who are none smokers, are fed up with the situation. Now, down to basics. I have a grandchild who is asthmatic. My son will not take her into any eating premises where smoking is permitted as she has been affected by passive smoke in similar places in the past. Imagine drawing a line and sitting someone who smokes on one side, and someone on the other who does not. In other words, every area has boundaries, and whether you are twenty feet or one foot away from someone smoking, (which is the present set up ) then you are still affected by smoke in one way or another and if the premises are busy, then you would be as well sitting in the smoking area. I would like to know who thought this one out. A smoker without doubt. As far as eating places are concerned, you only need to ask yourself this question,. If smokers can sit for

HOURS on an aircraft without being allowed to smoke ( Airlines have for some time now had a NO SMOKING policy on aircraft as you know), then surely the same people can sit in say a restaurant for ONE HOUR without a cigarette. Smokers will object at first of course, but they will just have to accept the situation and if desperate, g9.Qutside for a smoke. (Can't do that in an aircraft, can you.? )

Much is made of Human Rights these days. In that case, it is everyone's right to breathe clean air at all times, especially so when eating, or for that matter, while drinking in Pubs or other places.

As cigarettes are now, without doubt, known to cause Cancer and other illnesses often resulting in death, then doing nothing about the situation is not an option.

Other countries have already introduced No Smoking policies in all buildings to which they have

access.

WHY ARE WE TAKING SO LONG?

David Thompson