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Breath of fresh air in Scotland as smoking stubbed out:Posted By: Jim Thatcher LONDON (AFP) - Smokers in Scotland heading down to their local pub were facing the prospect of standing outside the bar in the rain to light up as Britain's first smoking ban came into force.From 6:00 am (0500 GMT) it became an offence to smoke in nearly every enclosed public place in Scotland, enforced by a 50-pound (72-euro, 87-dollar) fine on smokers and a 200-pounds penalty on businesses. "This is the single biggest measure that we could take to improve public health in Scotland," First Minister Jack McConnell said Sunday. "I think it will transform the culture of Scotland for future generations." He said Scotland had an "appalling record" on heart disease, strokes and cancer and a radical change in Scotland's pub culture was necessary to cure it. It is estimated that tobacco use kills about 13,000 Scots annually and that passive smoking claims 1,500 and 2,000 lives every year in Scotland. Exempt from the ban are designated rooms in some workplaces, including in adult care homes, hospices, offshore installations -- and submarines. Smoking will also be allowed in police detention rooms and in designated hotel bedrooms. The ban in Scotland follows that by trailblazer Ireland as well as Italy, Norway, Malta, Spain and Sweden. England and Northern Ireland are due to implement similar bans next year. Wales is also to follow suit. McConnell told BBC television: "I think across the world there is a change taking place and we will see smoke bans in many more countries in the years to come. "It's important to realise that we are not banning smoking. We are saying that passive smoking is unacceptable. "I think we can see a real change in the health culture of Scotland over the coming months and years." Smokers held farewell-to-smoking parties in pubs and restaurants on Saturday night as they prepared for the biggest change in Scottish public health policy in decades. The Grampian Bar in the northeastern port city of Aberdeen marked the event by holding an eve-of-ban "wake" with an "Ashtrays to Ashes, Dust to Dust" ceremony. Almost 300 businesses across Scotland have lodged planning applications this year alone for shelters, canopies or beer gardens to make last-minute alterations in the run-up to the ban. The Scottish Executive has set new targets to reduce the number of adult smokers by almost 186,500 by 2010 and record numbers of Scots are said to be preparing to quit when the ban comes into force. Smokers' groups have condemned the Executive, accusing ministers' of misleading the public over the health impact and economic costs. The Scottish Licensed Trade Association, which had called for a partial ban, fears 140 pubs could close and 2,500 jobs may be lost. "This historic law will save thousands of lives," said Professor Alex Markham, chief executive of Cancer Research United Kingdom. "Most smokers want to quit. And the ban gives them a golden opportunity to stop smoking for good." A BBC poll Sunday suggested that more than a fifth of Scottish smokers planned to carry on lighting up regardless. Neil Rafferty, Scottish spokesman for the smokers' rights group Forest, said: "The ban will stigmatise and ghettoise smokers even further. "The best way to demonstrate opposition is to light up in large numbers outside and invite your non-smoking friends to join you for an informal street party." Courtesy Of: Yahoo! News The information reported above is property of Yahoo! inc. and reprinted or modified with legitimate permission. We thank Yahoo! inc. for the kind cooperation with us and other shareholders. |
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