THE Government has stepped up its plans to ban smoking in public places with notice that it intends to make the decision on behalf of councils and individual restaurants and bars.

Jenna Sloan looks at what a blanket ban on public smoking would mean for Bolton

STATISTICS show that smoking is to blame for almost 18 per cent of all deaths in Bolton and that nearly 30pc of the town's adult population regularly light up.

The health hazards associated with smoking are well documented, and include heart disease, lung cancer and asthma.

However, as we know, it is not just smokers themselves who suffer the ill-effects of tobacco; passive smoking is now recognised as a serious problem.

According to Cancer Research UK, several hundred cancer related deaths each year are caused by second-hand smoke.

With this in mind, the Government is considering

drawing up legal restrictions on smoking in public places, with particular attention being paid to bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants.

If such a ban was to be introduced, then England would not be the first country in Europe to call time on smoking.

The Norwegian Government has been addressing the

issue for the past 15 years, by gradually phasing out smoking in all bars and restaurants. In the late 1980s 25 per cent of tables were made non-smoking and

the numbers have risen ever since. In June this year a total ban was achieved.

The Irish Government took a different approach when they succeeded in forcing smoking out of pubs and bars in March this year. After an extensive

public education campaign, a strict blanket ban was imposed. Offending establishments now face fines of up to 3000 euros (approximately £2,000) if they are caught allowing smoking on the premises.

Smoking bans are also nothing new in the United States, with both California and New York having declared all public places to be non-smoking

environments.

Bolton may be thousands of miles from the Big Apple, but health promotion officials from both Bolton Council and Bolton Primary Care Trust are already in the business of promoting smoke-free environments around the town.

"The majority of the population are non-smokers, but in bars, pubs and clubs they often have no choice but to breathe in harmful cigarette fumes," said Lesley Jones, a public health specialist with Bolton PCT.

"Smoke-free environments would help to protect the health of customers and workers in the hospitality industry, and they would also support people who

want to quit smoking."

Pizza Hut, which has a branch at Middlebrook, is in agreement. Having a cigarette with your stuffed crust would now be impossible since the national chain banned smoking in all its UK restaurants almost a year ago. The policy, which started in August 2003, has won the acclaim of several charities, such as Action on Smoking and Health.

The anti-smoking movement has also received local support. At Yates's wine lodge, on Bolton's Bradshawgate, smoking is not allowed either at the bar or in the designated family area.

"We have lots of signs informing people of our non-smoking areas and we also verbally reinforce the

policy," said the shift manager. "It is part of the company's contribution to the health and safety of our customers and our staff."

Some local establishments have gone even further, and have banned smoking completely. Earlier this year Smithills Coaching House introduced a smoke-free policy in their restaurant, although smokers may still light-up in the lounge area. "It was decided to make the restaurant non-smoking in response to the suggestions of a number of customers. The reaction has been very positive," said a spokesman.

Smithills Coaching House, along with the Casa Nostra Restaurant on Church Street, Westhoughton, and Russells Cafe in Bolton town centre, are currently

being considered for a National Clean Air Award.

The awards, which are replacing the Roy Castle Awards previously given out to establishments that

promoted a clean air policy, have been adopted by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.

Bolton Council has still to obtain an official franchise in order to award the titles, but the scheme is certainly popular. "We fully support and promote a smoke-free environment for public places in Bolton," said Alf Barker, the council's health co-ordinator.

And it is not just pubs and restaurants that are moving towards cleaner air. A football ground is also a public place, and all 28,000 spaces in the seating area at the Reebok Stadium will be non-smoking from the start of the 2004/2005 season next month.

The move came after a survey of Bolton Wanderers season ticket holders and on the BWFC website returned an overwhelming response in favour of banning smoking within the stadium.

Health Secretary John Reid is still considering a ban and no decision has yet been made as to whether smoking in public places will be made illegal.