Lobby warns that complete smoking ban will bring new problems

16/04/2013 00:00

STAFF REPORTER

PALMA
A smoking tolerance lobby has been spending time on Majorca investigating smoking habits and warned yesterday that far from being a solution, a total smoking ban in public places is simply going to bring more problems.

Aiming to make Central Government think twice before it makes smoking in closed public places illegal, the lobby, Club Fumadores por la Tolerancia, has researched the relationship between smokers and non-smokers in the Balearics and how they interact in society.

According to the club's spokesman, Javier Blanco, Spain's Health Minister wants us all to believe that smoking - or rather the banning of it - is an issue of national importance, but according to our research in the Balearics, just 19.8 percent of those interviewed believe that stopping smoking in enclosed public places should be considered a major priority. The majority of those surveyed, said Blanco, were much more concerned about issues such as tackling the economic crisis and getting people back to work.

More than 94 percent of people in the Balearics who took part in interviews, furthered Blanco, said that they believed smokers needed a place set aside for them to have a cigarette. He added that contrary to claims by Central Government's Health ministry, the Balearic Islands are very much against a ban on smoking in the hostelry industry.

Almost 60 percent of the population, said Blanco want the smoking control laws left as they are or even made more flexible. If the law is toughened, he added, it is going to have a very negative impact on bars, restaurants, hotels and cafés.

The Club's inquiry also showed that currently, 86 percent of smokers get up and go outside if they want to have a cigarette which, in itself, is apparently causing difficulties. Smokers are forced to huddle in groups on the street with the resultant piles of cigarette butts build up outside hostelry establishments. Neighbours are reportedly complaining and the tension is apparently spilling over into worsening social relations.