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| Wales starts public smoking ban | Wales starts public smoking ban |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A ban on smoking in enclosed public places has come into force across Wales. | A ban on smoking in enclosed public places has come into force across Wales. |
| Pubs, restaurants, offices and public transport are all covered by the ban, which came into force at 0600 BST. | Pubs, restaurants, offices and public transport are all covered by the ban, which came into force at 0600 BST. |
| Those found smoking can face on-the-spot fines of £50, while those in charge of premises could also be fined for allowing smoking. | Those found smoking can face on-the-spot fines of £50, while those in charge of premises could also be fined for allowing smoking. |
| A similar ban is already in force in Scotland. Northern Ireland will follow suit on 30 April and England on 1 July. | A similar ban is already in force in Scotland. Northern Ireland will follow suit on 30 April and England on 1 July. |
| Health bodies and politicians hope for long-term benefits to people's health and a reduction in passive smoking effects for non-smokers. | Health bodies and politicians hope for long-term benefits to people's health and a reduction in passive smoking effects for non-smokers. |
| But some pro-smoking groups have called the outright ban "draconian" and had wanted more options made available. | But some pro-smoking groups have called the outright ban "draconian" and had wanted more options made available. |
| Extra enforcement officers are being taken on to support trading standards enforcement teams. | Extra enforcement officers are being taken on to support trading standards enforcement teams. |
| The ban will cover offices to lorry cabs, hospitals to football grounds and theatre stages, with very few exemptions. | The ban will cover offices to lorry cabs, hospitals to football grounds and theatre stages, with very few exemptions. |
| Philip Lay, retail director at SA Brain, Wales's biggest independent brewer and pub operator, said: "The only certainty is that business is going to go backwards for a while." | Philip Lay, retail director at SA Brain, Wales's biggest independent brewer and pub operator, said: "The only certainty is that business is going to go backwards for a while." |
| No-one has disrespected it in three months - enforcing it has not been a problem Ellen Evans, pub owner | No-one has disrespected it in three months - enforcing it has not been a problem Ellen Evans, pub owner |
| The brewery has built smoking areas at some pubs and put up umbrellas and outdoor heaters at others. | The brewery has built smoking areas at some pubs and put up umbrellas and outdoor heaters at others. |
| Mr Lay added: "At one pub we went a little bit further and actually lifted the roof off part of the pub to create a courtyard. | Mr Lay added: "At one pub we went a little bit further and actually lifted the roof off part of the pub to create a courtyard. |
| "The difficulty is in explaining to people what constitutes an area they can or cannot smoke in." | "The difficulty is in explaining to people what constitutes an area they can or cannot smoke in." |
| One pub in Swansea says landlords have little to fear, after they took the plunge early. | One pub in Swansea says landlords have little to fear, after they took the plunge early. |
| Regulars at the Cross Inn in Morriston, Swansea, have been going without a smoke with their pint since the start of the year. | Regulars at the Cross Inn in Morriston, Swansea, have been going without a smoke with their pint since the start of the year. |
| Owners Ellen and Brian Evans, who both smoke, decided to take the step when they took over the pub and had it refurbished. | Owners Ellen and Brian Evans, who both smoke, decided to take the step when they took over the pub and had it refurbished. |
| SMOKING BAN FACT-FILE It affects all public, enclosed spacesSmokers defying the ban face a £50 on-the-spot finePremises not enforcing it face fines of up to £2,500No smoking signs must be displayedCouncil trading standards teams will enforce the banHotels, adult residential homes and mental health units will be allowed exemptions in some rooms Q&A: Smoking ban in Wales | SMOKING BAN FACT-FILE It affects all public, enclosed spacesSmokers defying the ban face a £50 on-the-spot finePremises not enforcing it face fines of up to £2,500No smoking signs must be displayedCouncil trading standards teams will enforce the banHotels, adult residential homes and mental health units will be allowed exemptions in some rooms Q&A: Smoking ban in Wales |
| Mrs Evans said: "There were mixed feelings amongst the customers - some have welcomed it but others felt their rights had been taking away. | Mrs Evans said: "There were mixed feelings amongst the customers - some have welcomed it but others felt their rights had been taking away. |
| "A pint and a fag have gone hand-in-hand for generations. | "A pint and a fag have gone hand-in-hand for generations. |
| "But we've got people who smoke who come here and they respect it's no-smoking and go outside. | "But we've got people who smoke who come here and they respect it's no-smoking and go outside. |
| "No-one has disrespected it in three months - enforcing it has not been a problem. | "No-one has disrespected it in three months - enforcing it has not been a problem. |
| "We now have a lovely mix of older people and a lot of younger people - some who bring their children." | "We now have a lovely mix of older people and a lot of younger people - some who bring their children." |
| 'Excludes people' | 'Excludes people' |
| Mr Evans added: "I think in the first few weeks [after the ban comes into force] it's going hurt. | Mr Evans added: "I think in the first few weeks [after the ban comes into force] it's going hurt. |
| "But people will always want to go out for a drink to somewhere where there is an atmosphere." | "But people will always want to go out for a drink to somewhere where there is an atmosphere." |
| Ben Cottam, of the Federation of Small Businesses in Wales, said: "It's inevitable - the debate has moved a long way past whether or not there should be a ban. | Ben Cottam, of the Federation of Small Businesses in Wales, said: "It's inevitable - the debate has moved a long way past whether or not there should be a ban. |
| "We have certainly asked our membership to keep an eye on the enforcement and on whether the enforcement is heavy-handed and we will certainly be raising that with the assembly government." | "We have certainly asked our membership to keep an eye on the enforcement and on whether the enforcement is heavy-handed and we will certainly be raising that with the assembly government." |
| Health organisations have welcomed the ban, which has already been brought in Scotland for a year and is due to follow in England on 1 July. | Health organisations have welcomed the ban, which has already been brought in Scotland for a year and is due to follow in England on 1 July. |
| The best place to smoke is in a well-ventilated bar or restaurant but politicians have chosen to ignore what is blatantly obvious Smokers' lobby group Forest | The best place to smoke is in a well-ventilated bar or restaurant but politicians have chosen to ignore what is blatantly obvious Smokers' lobby group Forest |
| The British Medical Association's secretary in Wales, Richard Lewis, said: "This is the greatest public health initiative in Wales for over a century. The BMA has campaigned hard for years for it." | The British Medical Association's secretary in Wales, Richard Lewis, said: "This is the greatest public health initiative in Wales for over a century. The BMA has campaigned hard for years for it." |
| Nia Jeffreys of Asthma UK Cymru said: "Tobacco smoke excludes people with asthma from public places, and 40% of adults with asthma say they avoid smoky pubs and restaurants." | Nia Jeffreys of Asthma UK Cymru said: "Tobacco smoke excludes people with asthma from public places, and 40% of adults with asthma say they avoid smoky pubs and restaurants." |
| Welsh rugby star Gavin Henson, whose girlfriend Charlotte Church quit the habit last year, will be launching a campaign to urge parents to stop smoking altogether and make their homes smoke-free. | Welsh rugby star Gavin Henson, whose girlfriend Charlotte Church quit the habit last year, will be launching a campaign to urge parents to stop smoking altogether and make their homes smoke-free. |
| But tobacco lobby groups have called the new measures "draconian" and say the public would rather support more options than an outright ban. | But tobacco lobby groups have called the new measures "draconian" and say the public would rather support more options than an outright ban. |
| Simon Clark of Forest said the "vast majority" of smokers would not quit. | Simon Clark of Forest said the "vast majority" of smokers would not quit. |
| "A consequence of the ban is that more people will smoke in the street, increasing cigarette litter, and more people may smoke at home in front of their children," he said. | "A consequence of the ban is that more people will smoke in the street, increasing cigarette litter, and more people may smoke at home in front of their children," he said. |
| "The best place to smoke is in a well-ventilated bar or restaurant but politicians have chosen to ignore what is blatantly obvious." | "The best place to smoke is in a well-ventilated bar or restaurant but politicians have chosen to ignore what is blatantly obvious." |
| Have you been affected by the ban? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below. | |