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| Johnson hails 'popular' smoke ban | Johnson hails 'popular' smoke ban |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The smoking ban in England is the "single most important public health legislation for a generation", Health Secretary Alan Johnson has said. | The smoking ban in England is the "single most important public health legislation for a generation", Health Secretary Alan Johnson has said. |
| He said the ban on smoking in enclosed public places, which came into force on Sunday, would improve the health of hundreds of thousands of people. | |
| But there have been isolated signs of opposition to the smoking clampdown. | But there have been isolated signs of opposition to the smoking clampdown. |
| The landlord of the Dog Inn in Hereford and the boss of a lapdancing club in London have vowed to challenge the ban. | The landlord of the Dog Inn in Hereford and the boss of a lapdancing club in London have vowed to challenge the ban. |
| Pubs, clubs and restaurants - and all enclosed public places - are now smoke-free zones, a change which Mr Johnson said was popular with 80% of the population. | Pubs, clubs and restaurants - and all enclosed public places - are now smoke-free zones, a change which Mr Johnson said was popular with 80% of the population. |
| Smoke signals | Smoke signals |
| The chief medical officer for England and Wales, Sir Liam Donaldson, told the BBC that he expected the regulations to be implemented without any substantial problems. | |
| "The majority of smokers and non-smokers wanted this change, so I expect people to comply with it very, very straightforwardly," he said. | "The majority of smokers and non-smokers wanted this change, so I expect people to comply with it very, very straightforwardly," he said. |
| But Dave West, owner of a central London lapdancing club, said he would allow staff and customers to continue to smoke - claiming that the ban is a breach of human rights. | But Dave West, owner of a central London lapdancing club, said he would allow staff and customers to continue to smoke - claiming that the ban is a breach of human rights. |
| Club owner Dave West plans to challenge the smoking ban | Club owner Dave West plans to challenge the smoking ban |
| And Tony Blows, landlord of the Dog Inn, near Hereford, threatened to allow customers to carry on smoking. | And Tony Blows, landlord of the Dog Inn, near Hereford, threatened to allow customers to carry on smoking. |
| Owners and managers of pubs and clubs which fail to comply with the smoking laws can face fines of up to £2,500 - and individual smokers can be fined £50. | Owners and managers of pubs and clubs which fail to comply with the smoking laws can face fines of up to £2,500 - and individual smokers can be fined £50. |
| There have been divided forecasts over the impact of the smoking ban on pubs. | There have been divided forecasts over the impact of the smoking ban on pubs. |
| The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) says its surveys suggest that very few people will be deterred from going to pubs - and that 840,000 people who currently do not go to pubs would become more likely to go to smoke-free pubs. | The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) says its surveys suggest that very few people will be deterred from going to pubs - and that 840,000 people who currently do not go to pubs would become more likely to go to smoke-free pubs. |
| However the British Beer and Pub Association anticipated that beer sales would drop. | However the British Beer and Pub Association anticipated that beer sales would drop. |
| Trade union leaders have applauded the curbs on smoking in England as a step forward for workplace safety - describing passive smoking as the "third biggest cause of deaths at work". | Trade union leaders have applauded the curbs on smoking in England as a step forward for workplace safety - describing passive smoking as the "third biggest cause of deaths at work". |
| But smokers' rights group, Forest, attacked the ban saying that it is "out of all proportion to the risk from second-hand smoke". | |
| Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland already have similar bans in place. | Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland already have similar bans in place. |