ISSUES

ENVIRONMENTAL TOBACCO SMOKE (ETS)

Our view of the science is that ETS exposure is associated with various short term health impacts, such as exacerbating symptoms in asthmatics and respiratory illnesses in children. the science on ETS and chronic diseases, such as lung cancer and heart disease, is in our view not definitive and at most suggests that if there is a risk from ETS exposure, it is too small to measure with any certainty.

The World Health Organisation and various other public health bodies have reported that exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), sometimes called 'passive smoking', is a cause of various diseases. the risks they report are far lower than those associated with active smoking, but are said to be large enough to make public smoking an important public health issue.

So while we understand and support measures to reduce involuntary exposure to ETS, we do not believe that blanket bans on public and workplace smoking are fair or necessary.

We support regulation that accommodates the interests of both non-smokers and smokers and limits non-smokers' involuntary exposure to ETS. We favour restrictions on smoking in enclosed public places and we accept that there needs to be regulation. We support practical initiatives such as the creation of smoke-free areas, combined with adequate provision for smokers.

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