The issue of whether smoking in public should be banned in Britain has been ongoing for the past five years, when the government proposed the ‘Smoking Kills’ white paper in 1998. Following in the footsteps of the Bush administration, the government is taking progressive steps towards banning smoking in public places in the hope of stemming the 114,000 smoking-related deaths per year, causing equal measures of applause and uproar. Fears of affecting the pub industry had halted plans to implement the ban, but a recent study showed that pub profits had increased by seven percent after establishments introduced no-smoking areas.

The measure has been welcomed with open arms by doctors, after Sir David Carter, chairman of the British Medical Association's Board of Science, said: ‘I strongly support this motion as it builds on existing BMA policy.’

But while anti-smokers have called for swifter action, accusing the Government of creating a ‘nanny state’ by refusing to adopt unpopular measures, banning smoking in public places may not be the correct solution. Looking back at the state of New York, after former mayor Rudolf Guliani enforced a complete ban, many businesses lost up to half their income, while Ireland’s recent ban has prompted valid fears for the tourist trade.

Pronouncing the Government as ‘mad’, Donal O’Keefe, chief executive of the Licensed Vintners’ Association, which represents publicans in Dublin, said: ‘It’s a disaster – for Ireland, for jobs, for our pubs and for tourism. We were all in favour of a partial ban but an all out one will cripple my members.’

The idea that introducing a public ban will deter smokers has fuelled a fierce debate. Anti-smokers claim that it will act as a heavy deterrent and eventually encourage smokers to quit, while smokers claim that a draconian attitude will not affect their addiction, but deter them from social activities. A current argument raging between smokers and non-smokers is that no one forces the latter to go into smoking areas, while the former enjoy relaxing with a cigarette in one hand and a drink in the other.