Madam, - The health and trade union lobby supporting the smoking ban, which represents at least 1.1 million people, wishes to express the deepest disappointment and frustration at the decision of the Vintner's Federation of Ireland (VFI) and the Irish Hospitality Industry Alliance (IHIA) to continue to oppose and obstruct this vital public health initiative.
The workplace smoking ban is a visionary, pioneering initiative that will benefit countless generations of Irish citizens. The legislation has the support and backing of the vast majority of people, including health, social, trade and political organisations. Why then does the hospitality industry persist with its opposition?
Environmental tobacco smoke, or second-hand smoke, is a group one carcinogen as documented by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It increases the risk of lung cancer in co-workers by 20 to 30 per cent and is linked to other cancers. It also increases the risk of heart disease in co-workers by 25 to 30 per cent and doubles the risk of stroke.
Essentially, breathing second-hand smoke causes morbidity and mortality from cancer, heart disease and respiratory disease. All employees have a right to smoke but not to pollute the work space of their colleagues. All employees have a right to feel safe in their workplaces from these diseases.
The most senior academic figures in Irish medicine and the healthcare allied professions have publicly welcomed the WHO's recognition that second-hand smoke is a cause of cancer. They have also identified tobacco use as the leading cause of preventable death in Ireland and have confirmed that non-smokers live longer and are healthier than smokers.
The pro-health organisations and trade union lobby see the smoking ban a valuable preventive measure for young people who may be considering starting to smoke, as a method of ensuring that smoking loses social acceptability and decreases in prevalence and as an overall way of reducing tobacco consumption.
We therefore ask that members of the hospitality industry cease from questioning this legislation purely from a personal or commercial perspective and resist mounting legal challenges against it. We would also ask it to cease from promoting a policy of actively breaking the law when the smoking ban is introduced.
Simply put, we ask them to join the rest of the nation in acting responsibly and in protecting the health and safety of our workers and our citizens from the date of implementation in February 2004.
They owe it to their staff and customers. - Yours, etc.,
JOHN McCORMACK, Chief Executive, Irish Cancer Society; MICHAEL O'SHEA, Chief Executive, Irish Heart Foundation; Prof LUKE CLANCY, Chairman, ASH Ireland; Dr PRANNIE RHATIGAN, Director, Smoking Cessation Programme, Irish College of General Practitioners; FINBAR FITZPATRICK, General Secretary, Irish Hospital Consultants Association;
Dr JOE BARRY, President, Irish Medical Organisation; LIAM DORAN,
General Secretary, Irish Nurses Organisation; OLIVER DONOHOE,
Research and Information Officer, ICTU; BERNARD HARBOR,
Information Officer, IMPACT; JOHN DOUGLAS, National Industrial Official, MANDATE; JOE O'FLYNN, General Secretary, SIPTU;
HERMAN O'BRIEN, Chief Executive, Asthma Society of Ireland; ANNE-MARIE PART, Environmental Health Officers Association; OWEN METCALF, Director, Institute of Public Health; LARRY WARREN, Chief Executive, Alpha One Foundation; MAUREEN HOLDEN, General Secretary, Irish Countrywomen's Association; JANE CURTIN, Communications Manager, Irish Cancer Society.