Petition presented on passive smoking

Press, 5 February 1987, Page 3

Petition presented on passive smoking

PA Wellington Passive smoking is a serious public health hazard, which can be reduced by banning smoking in enclosed public places, said the anti-smok-ing group, A.S.H., yesterday.

A spokeswoman, Ms Deirdre Kent, yesterday presented a petition signed by 11,200 to Parliament’s Social Services Select Committee, calling for legislation banning smoking in enclosed places. “The results of recent scientific studies show that breathing other people’s smoke is a much more serious public health issue than was previously believed,” she told the committee.

The A.S.H. petition calls for the banning of smoking in, at least, aeroplanes, buses, taxis, lifts,

childcare centres and school classrooms. “The role of Government is to protect the public from environmental hazards,” Ms Kent said.

The World Health Organisation had labelled involuntary smoking an “indisputable health risk.” The United States Environmental Protection Agency had estimated up to 5000 Americans a year died of lung cancer caused by passive smoking.

“The smoke generated by smokers constitutes a significant health hazard for several populations ... including elderly people, those with cardiovascular disease, impaired respiratory functions, asthmatics, those with obstructive airway diseases and those who are allergic to smoke.

“The health care costs

produced by the pollution caused by smoking is an offensive annoyance and irritant, (the pollution) results in serious and significant physical discomfort of nonsmokers and constitutes a public nuisance in public places and workplaces.” Ms Kent said the only organised opposition to A.S.H.’s policies came from the tobacco industry. There were no large and active smokers’ rights groups, while the industry itself was “not impeccable when it comes to telling the whole truth.”