PLANS to ban smoking in restaurants and pubs could be back before the States soon. Director of public health Dr David Jeffs said that mounting evidence worldwide meant that a ban was probably inevitable.

He attended a major international symposium on the subject in London on Monday.

‘It can now be shown that when working an eight-hour shift in a smoky bar, bartenders inhale carcinogens similar to smoking more than half a packet of cigarettes.

‘Tobacco smoke is regarded as a Class A carcinogen by the World Health Organisation and exposed bar and restaurant workers can be shown to face a 50% greater risk of lung cancer than other workers,’ he said.

He was heartened by reports that the controversial ban had worked without a problem in New York City, Australia and Ireland.

‘I intend to bring this latest evidence to the Health and Social Services Department and I am confident that it will wish to follow evidence-based health policy,’ he said.

‘I am also hopeful that the States will put the health of all employees at the top of their agenda, including those who choose to work in the hospitality industry, by bringing in the necessary legal safeguards.’

He said that a ban would be the final piece in the anti-smoking jigsaw and regretted the States’ rejection of the policy letter two years ago.

He pointed out that it was illogical not to have a ban given the thousands of pounds spent on removing asbestos from States buildings.

‘In terms of developing lung cancer, tobacco smoke is at least 10 times more dangerous.

‘When such solid evidence exists, it is inconsistent to remove asbestos, but force people to put their health at real risk by working in a smoky bar atmosphere.’

Health minister Peter Roffey said he agreed in principle with his senior medical adviser, but felt that such a proposal could be premature.

‘I’m sure next time we go back to the States we will propose something like that but you have to leave a reasonable interval between the States rejecting it and proposing it again.’

He said that attitudes were slowly changing to smoking and so it would be better to propose the matter in 2007 when the Health Department next puts forward its anti-smoking package.

‘However, I’m not a dictator and if Dr David Jeffs wanted to put a paper before the department, it would be interesting to see what the members’ views are on the subject,’ Deputy Roffey added.

‘My personal view is that we would be likely to take it back before the States in three years’ time. Whether it would be in all public places is another matter.

‘The finer points have to be

discussed. If we were too draconian and asked for an absolute ban we might lose it. If we were try it more moderately it would be more acceptable to the States and to the broader community.’

Tina Ramsden, licencee for the Mariners Inn, opposed the proposals.

‘I think people should have the right to choose,’ she said.

‘If people want to smoke they can smoke. I have some old gentlemen that come into my bar who are well into their 80s and they shouldn’t be told what to do at their age.

‘I agree that they should try to discourage the young ones from smoking but they should leave the older generations alone.’

She added that her pub could lose revenue as a result.

‘It’s always been known that a cigarette and a pint go well together. If somebody has had a hard day at work the first thing they do is light up and have a pint. Smokers make up a lot of revenue for the authorities.’

Dr Jeffs said that Guernsey was ahead of the rest of Europe in 1996 in introducing measures to reduce smoking and smoking-related diseases.

As a result, he said, there had been a 30% fall in male heart attack deaths and a 27% fall in male deaths from lung cancer over the past four years.