A ban on smoking in enclosed spaces comes into force in Scotland tomorrow, with licensees forecasting dire losses for pubs but health professionals and politicians predicting thousands of lives will be saved in a country with one of the worst cancer rates in Europe.
From 6am anyone caught lighting up in an enclosed public space - from restaurants and bars to offices and even delivery vans - will face an on the spot fine of £50. Councils have employed an army of extra staff to enforce the ban. Businesses which fail to take appropriate measures, including putting up No Smoking signs, will face a penalty of £200, rising to £2,500 if the initial fine is not paid.
The Scottish first minister, Jack McConnell, acknowledged that many smokers were angered by the ban, but said it would save thousands of lives each year. "Sometimes governments have to act in relation to the greater good, for the long-term future of our country, for the health of our nation and for future generations. I think an outright ban is the right thing to have," he said.
Although the Scottish weather does not lend itself to al fresco nicotine, pubs across the country have been building beer gardens and erecting shelters for unrepentant smokers to light up in. Nevertheless, publicans, who wanted smoking to be allowed in well-ventilated areas, fear 140 pubs could close and 2,500 jobs may be lost. Paul Waterson, chief executive of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, said: "We know that pubs who are well prepared, who do have an outdoor facility for smokers, have gained some business, and we must try and look at that. But pubs who have no food offering and are landlocked and who have no facilities will be in a very difficult position."
Smoking-related diseases are estimated to kill about 13,000 people each year in Scotland, while passive smoking is estimated to kill between 1,500 and 2,000 non-smokers annually. The impact of the ban on bar workers is being assessed by researchers at Aberdeen University, but the smokers' lobby group Forest claimed bar staff had been "used" by ministers. "From Sunday, Scotland will be a poorer place," said a spokesman. "The ban will do nothing to improve the health of the nation but it will give a warm glow to those who enjoy telling others what to do."
Last hurrahs are being held tonight as smokers inhale for the last time in public. One restaurant on the outskirts of Glasgow is offering a smoking-themed menu - with tobacco panacotta for pudding - while another in Edinburgh is throwing open its doors to those who want to indulge in the "great pleasure" of smoking.
