In the late 1990s Canberra kicked off smoking bans in Australia, with other states following suit over the next decade.
While each state governs its own smoking bans, all states and territories have restrictions on smoking in enclosed areas of restaurants, licensed clubs and pubs.
Now new tougher proposals are currently being debated in the UK, and the outcome may affect decisions around smoking laws worldwide.
Last week UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said that to reduce the burden on its national health service (NHS) and reduce preventable deaths associated with tobacco, the UK government was considering tougher outdoor smoking rules.
Rules may include further smoking bans in pub gardens and outdoor restaurants as well as sports grounds and other public areas.
Health advocates have welcomed the proposals.
NHS spokesperson Dr Layla McCay said problems for both individuals and society would be dramatically reduced, as smoking is currently the leading cause of preventable illness in the UK.
Another prominent activist pointed out that the public now expected not to have to encounter tobacco smoke in places such as seating areas outside pubs.
Cancer Research UK believes all exposure – including passive smoking – to be unsafe.
Tobacco is also one of Australia’s largest causes of preventable illness, responsible for 8.6 per cent of the “total burden of disease in Australia in 2018” according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Around 20,500 people die in Australia from smoking-related illness each year.
However, hospitality sector leaders, joined by the UK’s opposition, have criticised the proposal.
Conservative politicians have labelled it economically damaging, calling the moves “over-regulation” amidst fears such bans could add to the troubles the sector is already facing.
The British Beer and Pub Association, who represent around 20,000 UK pubs, said numbers in pubs had already significantly decreased due to factors such as the energy crisis and COVID.
UK Hospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls warned the proposal would need to strongly consider the possible damage to businesses, economic growth and jobs.
Responses from publicans have generally been against the proposal, with some unsure of any measurable effect for the NHS, while others pointing out the difficulties faced by neighbours should smokers not remain in beer gardens. Some believed smoking bans should be decided by each venue.
Sir Tim Martin, founder of JD Wetherspoon, did not believe there would be any effect one way or the other.
Yet the response by the public has been in favour of further bans, relishing the idea of no more second-hand smoke for themselves or their children.
The UK is not the only country looking at tougher measures on tobacco.
Canada is aiming to reduce tobacco use by five per cent in the next eleven years, while New Zealand’s previous government introduced a ban on the sale of tobacco to anyone born in or after 2008, reduced where tobacco could be sold, and lowered the levels of nicotine in cigarettes.
Although New Zealand’s latest government repealed those laws, overall worldwide interest in public health around smoking has been increasing, as shown by the dwindling number of smokers.
Queensland currently leads the way in addressing the issue in Australia, ensuring more smoke-free public spaces as well as “smoke free buffers” around outdoor dining and drinking areas.
Considering the growing global movement toward stricter smoking regulations, the ongoing debates in the UK highlight both the public’s demand for healthier environments and the significant challenges faced by the hospitality sector, ultimately shaping the future of tobacco control worldwide.
