Let pubs “decide their own rules on outdoor smoking”
20 July 2020
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Christopher Snowdon comments on growing calls for outdoor smoking restrictions
Commenting on growing demands to curb smoking outdoors and amendments in the House of Lords to extend the existing smoking ban to outdoor seating areas, Christopher Snowdon, IEA Head of Lifestyle Economics, said:
“In the absence of a health threat to bystanders, restrictions on outdoor smoking have been proposed on the basis that some people don’t like the smell of tobacco smoke. Perhaps so, but it does not justify legislation. Pubs can decide their own rules on outdoor smoking, just as they can decide whether to allow children inside, have football on TV, play music on the sound system, or any number of other things that some people may dislike.
“Pubs have a greater incentive to make sure their customers are happy than representatives from the House of Lords. Let the market decide.”
“In the absence of a health threat to bystanders, restrictions on outdoor smoking have been proposed on the basis that some people don’t like the smell of tobacco smoke. Perhaps so, but it does not justify legislation. Pubs can decide their own rules on outdoor smoking, just as they can decide whether to allow children inside, have football on TV, play music on the sound system, or any number of other things that some people may dislike.
“Pubs have a greater incentive to make sure their customers are happy than representatives from the House of Lords. Let the market decide.”
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