Read on Twitter
1/ Not saying anything revolutionary here but thought I'd gather my thoughts in a big ol' #thread on #smoking, esp why I think pubs/bars/restaurants should voluntarily create generously-sized outdoor #nonsmoking areas ASAP (esp aimed at #Norwich venues bc of self-interest!)
2/ New gov guidance suggests venues will have to provide outdoor non-smoking areas soon anyway, though it's not clear from exactly when (anyone know?). https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-plans-to-ensure-pubs-restaurants-and-cafes-offer-both-smoking-and-non-smoking-outdoor-options
3/ But pubs should do it soon, before they are forced to, from a sense of moral duty & to protect punters from 2nd hand smoke (SHS).
4/ In Norwich the only pubs (afaik) with adequate outdoor non-smoking areas are (bleurgh) Wetherspoons: our brilliant independents could (/should) be doing much better here.
5/ There is a popular misconception that outdoor smoking doesn't really cause harm because it just dissipates. Though it obviously dissipates faster outside than inside, it can still cause immense harm while it lingers.
6/ See https://news.stanford.edu/news/2007/may9/smoking-050907.html "a person near an outdoor smoker might inhale a breath with 50x more toxic material than in the surrounding unpolluted air".
7/ or this https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3702010/ "One study showed... even v. low exposure to (SHS) was associated with changes in gene expression that may reflect early smoking-induced damage, potentially setting the stage for lung disease and cancer."
8/ & if you see any articles claiming that outdoor smoke doesn't cause harm, it's often Forest who are stating as much, like in this one: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jul/18/english-councils-call-for-smoking-ban-outside-pubs-and-cafes
9/ Forest pretends to be a group representing normal smokers, but are a right wing think tank funded by - shock horror! - the tobacco industry. They don't care about the health of smokers; & care less about the health of non-smokers.
10/ They are influencing policy to help shift product. https://tobaccotactics.org/wiki/forest/#:~:text=Historically%2C%20Forest%20has%20received%20almost,owned%20by%20Japan%20Tobacco%20International
11/ Worryingly (though unsurprisingly?) it seems another tobacco-stained right wing think tank (IES) may have influenced Robert Jenrick MP's recent pronouncement that a smoking ban outdoors of Manchester pubs & cafes would force businesses to close https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/sep/13/peers-call-on-jenrick-to-explain-opposition-to-smoke-free-zones
12/ In fact there is little evidence for this. Only approx 14% of UK adults smoke, but 80% of them drink alcohol https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/drugusealcoholandsmoking.
13/ And 60% of smokers in the UK want to quit (10% of these intend to quit within the next 3 months) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-matters-stopping-smoking-what-works/health-matters-stopping-smoking-what-works#:~:text=million%20a%20year.-,St op%20smoking%20support%20options%20and%20their%20effectiveness,do%20so%20within%203%20months.
14/ Given these stats, do we really think pubs would lose £££ from providing more safe space for non-smokers? And given the current prevalence of SHS outside of our pubs, can we be sure that the lack of non-smoking outdoor areas isn't in fact keeping wannbe ex-smokers away?
15/ It's certainly keeping me away - I have severe #lungdisease ( #asthma & #bronchiectasis) and can't handle #passivesmoking. At all. But I love the odd beer, and I love pubs.
16/ I used to just go inside if the outside area of a pub was too smoky (and that felt pretty unjust), but I'm ultra COVID-vulnerable so indoor drinking ain't worth the risk...and so I mainly just stay at home (and I miss the pub!)
17/ And then there's children. Surely we all know kids are extra vulnerable to passive smoke? Well that's also the case for outdoor SHS (no shit Sherlock!). Most pubs claim they are 'family-friendly' yet few have any outdoor non-smoking areas.
18/ Oh yeah, can't forget #COVID! "a respiratory viral infection that affects the lungs & airways. There is strong evidence that smoking tobacco is generally associated with an increased risk of developing respiratory viral infections." https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-advice-for-smokers-and-vapers/covid-19-advice-for-smokers-and-vapers
19/ When venues lack outdoor non-smoking areas, people like me have to sit in the quietest area - & if a smoker arrives & sparks up nearby, either a) ask them not to smoke (awkward & occasionally hazardous!) b) move seat c) suffer in silence & leave the pub asap. None are great.
20/ Finally, by providing more non-smoking space, you make it easier for people to stop smoking. Smoking is a matter of #socialjustice, "identified as the single biggest cause of inequality in death rates between rich and poor in the UK" https://ash.org.uk/category/information-and-resources/health-inequalities/#:~:text=Long-term%20smokers%20are%20disproportionately,in%20routine%20and%20manual%20household
21/ So pleeease pubs / cafes / bars / restaurants / etc...at least give it a trial? Not trying to completely stop people smoking, just want to see a fairer environment for people who can't handle SHS (or just dislike it). It's surely quite simple...
22/ 1) Buy some non-smoking stickers 2) Stick 'em on a group of outdoor tables - ideally at least 1/3 - 1/2 of your total outdoor table stock 3) Remove ashtrays from those tables (obvs!) 4) Train staff to tell anyone who ignores the signs to move from these tables. Ta-da!
23/ Gonna @ some of my favourite local pubs in the hope they'll take heed so I can come & drink in 'em again. Also gonna @ some Cllrs in case @NorwichCC can do more on this (can we at least have more no-smoking areas / benches in our parks, for example?)
