Madam, - The silence of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and other self-proclaimed defenders of libertarianism while a minority (smokers) are being demonised by the Minister of Health is astonishing. The current debate on pub smoking should be like other elements of civil law - how the competing rights of different groups can best be fairly balanced. Saying that one group always has an absolute right over other competing rights is very extreme.
The use of the health of workers in pubs (if you believe this to be the true motivation of the ban) is disingenuous.
Firstly, the high rate of cancer in this group is due to the high rate of smoking of this group, which ultimately is a personal choice. Secondly, it's a nonsense to suggest that occupational safety should have an absolute right over other competing rights.
If occupational concern truly was always the overriding issue, then we would certainly ban all construction activity, given this industry's poor record in worker safety. The added danger to lollipop ladies of large articulated trucks would result in them being banned, while the risk of back injury from lifting heavy objects would bring to an end much mail delivery, airplane baggage loading and bin collecting.
Occupational safety is a competing civil right, which should be given a heavy, but not overriding, weight in framing policy.
What is particularly surprising is the willingness of liberal newspapers (The Irish Times included) to publish opinion polls showing a majority or people would favour a ban. So what! What right do a majority have in this issue? Why not publish a poll on whether homosexuality should be banned as well?
This is electoral dictatorship, not a mature exercise of our democratic structure in framing the laws of just contact among private citizens. - Yours etc,
RONNIE O'TOOLE,
Howth Summit,
Co Dublin.
*****
Madam, - I couldn't help but snigger at the headline reading "Smoking ban could cost 65,000 jobs" ( July 22nd). Who on earth are the Irish Hospitality Industry Alliance? A group of landlords and ladies and hotel managers who watch, with a smile on their face, their customers drinking their stout and smoking their entire pack of cigarettes each night? A group of inn-keepers who think their clientele is at risk from some fresh air? And says who, that 65,000 jobs are going down the pan? Will all these members of this IHIA give up their jobs in protest at the smoking ban? Is that how they're all going to be made redundant?
The fact of the matter is: Irish people love to eat out in restaurants. They love to be pampered in lush hotels on weekend breaks, and they love their local pub. If they want a quick smoke, they can go outside for three minutes, and then come back and resume whatever activity they were doing. Maybe the IHIA will think more positively about this ban, and see that perhaps they will gain customers who don't smoke, as now they won't be subjected to a slow and painful death when they go out. - Yours, etc.,
HOLLY FAWCETT,
Ryevale Lawns,
Leixlip,
Co Kildare.
*****
Madam, - The Irish Hospitality Industry Alliance is forecasting that up to 65,000 job - 30 per cent of all those employed in the hospitality industry - will be lost when the ban on smoking in pubs, restaurants, and hotels becomes effective on January 1st, 2004. This would imply that there is an appalling lack of ingenuity and entrepreneurial flair in this industry.
The alliance cites an average loss of business of around 30 per cent in New York City to support this claim - a statistic that is highly questionable given that four out of five New Yorkers are non-smokers, according to New York City's Health Commissioner. Business-owners are reporting a significant reduction in the cost of cleaning and maintaining their smoke-free establishments.
The most tangible commercial consequences of the recent smoking ban in workplaces, restaurants and bars in 250 municipalities in the United States, including Boston and New York City, has been a collapse in demand for souvenir custom-made matchbooks that advertise hospitality establishments.
This downward trend in the "ignition market" has been in place for over 25 years and new take-home advertising media are replacing them.
Smoking bans are being implemented in the US in the context of second-hand smoke exposure being the third leading cause of preventable death.
Second-hand smoke exposure has been causing approximately 53,000 deaths here per annum - including an estimated 3,000 from lung cancer among non-smokers.
Healthcare costs attributable to tobacco are reaching $76 billion - 6 per cent of total US healthcare expenses. The average number of days off sick in the US is 6.16 among smokers; 4.53 among ex-smokers and 3.86 by those who never smoked.
Perhaps the alliance might care to promote the concept of a healthier, safer, cleaner and more productive working and hospitality environment rather than one that is down at heel, waiting to shrivel up and die.
MYLES DUFFY,
Devonshire Place,
Boston MA.