SMOKERS IN FRONT LINE OF A NEW WORLD WAR

Britain may be unwilling to legislate but other countries have not been so
reticent. Linus Gregoriadis reports

A SHIFT in the tide of opinion against tobacco has led to strict
anti-smoking laws across the world.

Fears about the dangers of cigarettes, ignited by the World Health
Organisation and other groups with events such as this week's World
No-Tobacco Day, have led to many governments introducing tough legislation.

In the United States, where smokers have long been treated as social
outcasts, many states have laws which ban smoking in banks, shops and other
public buildings. In California, a hard-line smoking ban on virtually all
public places was extended from the beginning of this year to include bars
and the bar areas of restaurants.

Singapore has led the way among Asian nations with its anti-smoking laws.
Shopping malls, pedestrian underpasses and various outdoor public places
were recently added to a long list of areas where the habit is strictly
forbidden.

But though the authorities in Singapore and California justify their
draconian stance by pointing to reduced levels of smoking, many people
believe that similar laws would not work in Britain.

Amanda Sandford, of the anti-smoking group Action on Smoking and Health
(Ash), said yesterday: "It wouldn't be appropriate to go along Californian
lines in this country because there would be an outcry and people would
ignore it. You have to win people over by a gradual approach.

"The attitude in this country has changed. People are more prepared to say
'yes I do mind if you smoke'. It is only really in leisure places like pubs
and clubs where smokers don't feel that they have to ask to light up."

In France, smoking is forbidden in all public areas, but this has proved
difficult to enforce, especially in bars and restaurants where the 1992 law
is often disregarded.

Ms Sandford said: "France is a good example of where they made the mistake
of introducing a law before they had public support behind them. Having
said that, people there do seem to accept the laws more now, and even
though there has been resistance in bars and restaurants the law is
successfully enforced on places like the Metro in Paris."

No country has a bigger smoking problem than China, where it has been
estimated that two-thirds of adult males are smokers. Ms Sandford said:
"Millions of people smoke there and the numbers are rising. The government
there is beginning to realise that they will have to control it."

In Italy, smoking is banned in most public places including hospitals,
schools libraries, museums, concert halls, cinemas and theatres. In Sweden,
smoking is banned, or restricted to certain areas, in shops, banks, schools
and restaurants.

The World Health Organisation expressed disappointment yesterday at the
British government's decision.

Barbara Zolty, of the World Health Organisation, said: "We strongly support
measures to control smoking in public places. There are many reasons for
this. Passive smoking has been shown to be harmful to people's health. In
addition, it sets an example to young people by showing that governments
are taking the problem seriously."

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski