Smoking: council wants exclusion zones outside children's play areas
Another day another piece of abject lunacy.
A council in North Wales wants to ban smoking in and around children's play areas.
A report by Conwy Council says, “Children are at particular risk of second-hand smoke and they are more likely to start smoking themselves if they see adults smoking in a family-friendly environment.”
I responded as best I could when invited to comment but words (almost) failed me.
Does anyone in their right mind honestly believe children (or anyone else) is at risk from other people's smoke in the open air?
Why ten metres? Why not five, or 50?
As for being influenced by the sight of adults smoking ... Well, it's true that children are influenced by family members or their peer group, but complete strangers? I'd like to see evidence of that.
Other councils in North Wales seem less inclined to follow Conwy's lead but don't rule it out.
Thanks to the Coalition government, councils have been given greater responsibility for public health and this is just the sort of eye-catching, headline-grabbing nonsense that will appeal to a certain type of local politician who wants to get his name in the paper.
See: Plan to fine smokers who light up within 30ft of children's playgrounds (Daily Post)