Landlords would have the freedom to declare their pub ‘ all smoking ’ if unable to accommodate a smoking room .
While it ’ s unlikely that UKIP ’ s proposal will go down well with voters , it could kickstart a long-overdue debate about vaping in pubs .
Proponents of reversing the smoking ban often cite the decline in pubs . However , increased duty on beer , the economic crash of 2008 and the growth of e-cigarettes will have all played their part .
Pubs have had to adapt by offering food and coffee , which many would argue has made them more welcoming than they were prior to the ban .
But while the smoking ban may have played a part in declining pub numbers , experts believe that it has had a positive impact on the nation ’ s health .
E-cigarettes are not covered by the smoking ban but many pubs ban them anyway .
Allowing people to vape discreetly would mean customers would spend more time in the pub and would not look intimidating gathered together in the entrance .
Landlords will need to make pubs as accommodating as possible if they are to survive when lockdown is finally lifted . But vapers will have to champion the cause and be considerate if vaping is to be part of the solution .
Hazel Cheeseman , director of policy at Action on Smoking and Health ( ASH ) said : “ Directly after the legislation , more people were trying to quit smoking , and more people succeeded because it ’ s much easier to avoid those situations .”
British Medical Journal ( BMJ ) research estimates that there were 1,200 fewer hospital admissions from heart attacks the year after the ban thanks to improved air quality and fewer smokers .
In Scotland , hospital admissions from children with Asthma decreased by 18 percent per year in the three years after the ban after having increased by five percent per annum in previous years .
“ We believe in freedom not to drink in smoke-filled rooms but also freedom to smoke if others are not inconvenienced .”
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