Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer initially proposed an outdoor smoking ban across the UK. The ban aimed to cover areas like restaurant patios, sports venues, small parks, and hospital entrances to reduce preventable smoking-related deaths, which currently reach 80,000 per year. However, reports suggest Downing Street has halted the proposal from moving forward in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill due to strong opposition from the hospitality industry.
The Guardian reports that Morgan McSweeney, the prime minister’s chief of staff, is not fully supportive of the ban. A Downing Street official mentioned that many view outdoor smoking as a minor public health risk. Meanwhile, the Department for Health and Social Care declined to comment on the reports.
Despite challenges, a health department spokesperson stressed the dangers of secondhand smoke and confirmed the government’s goal to make the UK smoke-free. Some in the hospitality sector, however, worry an outdoor ban could harm business.
Smoking remains the UK’s biggest preventable cause of death, linked to one in four cancer cases and about 64,000 deaths annually. Dr. Javed Khan’s 2022 review emphasizes these risks. While indoor smoking has been illegal in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland since 2007 and in Scotland since 2006, extending restrictions to outdoor areas would add protections in parks, pub gardens, sports areas, and hospitals.
