British Prime Minister Starmer has backed stricter rules on smoking outside to reduce the pressure on healthcare

Reuters

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday that he supports the idea of ​​banning smoking in some outdoor spaces, including pub gardens, as a way to reduce pressure on the state-run National Health Service and reduce costs to taxpayers.

Although specifics will be worked out later, Starmer said smoking kills 80,000 people each year and he wants to reduce deaths from preventable diseases.

Asked if he supported banning smoking in some public places, including pub gardens, Starmer told Channel Four News: 'I want us to move to a smoke-free environment. I want to reduce the burden on the NHS, desperately needed ... and of course, I want to reduce the burden on the taxpayer. So, yes, I support it. According to documents obtained by The Sun, the government is considering banning smoking in pubs and restaurant gardens and rooftops, outdoor sports stadiums, children's parks and sidewalks near hospitals and universities.

Britain's centre-left Labor Party, which won last month's general election, said in its election manifesto that it plans to introduce the world's toughest anti-smoking laws, banning underage smoking.

The previous Conservative government announced similar measures but the plan failed to become law before the election was called.

In 2007, Britain banned smoking in almost all enclosed public places, including bars and workplaces. Cancer Research UK said it resulted in an estimated 1.9 million fewer smokers, and research in the British Medical Journal estimated 1,200 fewer hospital admissions for heart attacks the following year.

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Britain's hospitality industry has warned that stricter smoking bans could lead to the closure of some businesses. Kate Nicholls, chief executive of trade body UK Hospitality, said: 'There is a risk of economic damage to hospitality venues as a result of banning smoking outside. "This ban will not only affect pubs and nightclubs, but also hotels, cafes and restaurants. According to the Office for National Statistics, around 6.4 million people smoked in Britain in 2022, around 13 per cent of the adult population.

This is much lower than in other European countries such as Italy, Germany and France, where 18%-23% of adults smoke, according to OECD statistics. The government estimates that smoking costs Britain's health care £17 billion ($22.37 billion) a year, and there is strong support from medical and health experts for more restrictions on smokers.