SOS believes smoking ban will be overturned

SAVE OUR SMOKERS is confident the smoking ban will be overturned ' if the public voice their concerns. The new law, which bans smoking in enclosed work and public places, is set to go back before the States for ratification.

Ahead of that, SOS has organised a public meeting and protest march in an attempt to get the ban, passed in March, overturned.

'The ratification still has to come to the States and that could be turned over if deputies had the courage to listen to the people

and their views,' said an SOS spokesman.

'We believe that if enough people come out, the deputies will listen.'

Despite invitations, only eight of the 44 deputies have confirmed they will attend the public meeting, which will include a talk by Simon Clark from pro-smoking group Forest.

'We're urging the people of Guernsey to voice their opinion. We need the public and we can help them only if they help us.

'But the deputies' response is appalling ' and we voted for them,' said Carrie Self of the Victoria Arms.

Mariners' Inn landlady Tina Ramsden spoke out against the costs of the ban.

Her security company has told her that three doormen would be needed to police the ban if it came in. She currently employs one at the weekends.

'What are places like Club 54 and Folies going to do? How many are they going to need?' she said, adding that people's freedom of choice was being taken away.

SOS is also concerned about policing people wanting to leave premises with a drink to have a cigarette.

'I've got several cameras, one outside, and on many occasions the police have asked to look at the footage,' she added.

'The equipment is kept upstairs in my private living accommodation. When they come in, are they going to tell me I can't smoke?'

The group is expecting people deliberately to ignore the legislation.

'I've spoken to a small business, which basically said staff would smoke at the business and in their delivery van,' said Tony Brown of Movie Zone. 'One man had been smoking since he was 10, which was 40 years ago ' no one is going to stop him now. There are people at the moment who will definitely break the law and a lot of people don't realise how the law will affect them other than in pubs and hotels.'

He added that while backers of the ban often mentioned Ireland and Australia as success stories they never referred to Norway, where certain areas are getting rid of the legislation.

SOS also raised concerns that the exemptions, which are being discussed by the Smokefree Legislation Advisory Group, might not be in place before 1 April when any ban would come in.

'The majority on the group are health professionals, so it's going to be very biased,' added the spokesman.

And the group said tourism and charities could lose out as fewer people went to the pubs.

*'The public meeting takes place on Tuesday 13 September at Les Rocquettes. A public protest march, starting at 11am at the Town bus terminus and finishing on the Bridge, will take place on Sunday 25 September.