Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Ban has no effect on smokers - The Irish Times -

Ban has no effect on smokers - The Irish Times - Wed, Oct 19, 2011:

The smoking ban was introduced in March 2004 by then minister for health Micheál Martin. Its aim was to protect people from second-hand smoke but it had also been hoped that the ban would provide an incentive to help smokers quit.
This has not proven to be the case.
“We really haven’t shifted prevalence of smoking by any appreciable extent beyond what it was prior to the implementation of the ban; we are at about 28 to 30 per cent,” Dr Holohan said.
And of course that isn't the only message that's being spread.
 He also said there was a need to look at the inter-relationship between different lifestyle factors, including tobacco use, alcohol consumption and obesity, and their effects on health.
“People who smoke just don’t smoke, they are also people who are overweight and they are also people who are high consumers of alcohol and we need to understand the interaction of those,” Dr Holohan said.
There was no point in sending out messages about tobacco one day, alcohol the next and obesity on the third day. “We need a much more integrated positive message in relation to health.
“It shouldn’t always be about ‘don’t do this’ and ‘don’t do that’.”
Sounds all well and good,well from their viewpoint in any case. But the thing smokers always told the other people who supported the banning of smoking in public places has come to pass.
They are coming for all of us,it makes me wonder how long before the cacophony of angry voices being raised calling for bans to be repealed won't just be from the smokers.
Because now the people who dislike the overweight and the people who dislike smokers have decided to join forces.
Dr Holohan also raised concerns about the marketing of food and unhealthy products to children.
How long before they join with the greenies and the clean air people.One wonders what sort of focus they would spread with the sort of money and backing that would supply.
That damn slope keeps getting slipperier every single day.