By TANEKA THOMPSON

Deputy Chief Reporter

tthompson@tribunemedia.net

 

 

THERE are renewed calls for the government to ban smoking in all public places.

Stakeholders in the fight against cancer said the evidence linking second-hand smoke to the onset of the deadly disease is indisputable.

They said this should spur the government to quickly enact a ban on public smoking to protect the health of all citizens, especially the young and elderly who are exposed to second-hand smoke at restaurants and in taxis.

"They should start with the smoking room in Parliament if they are serious about cancer. The data has been out there for years, it's long overdue," said oncologist Dr John Lunn.

Dr Lunn said he was part of an earlier campaign for a smoking ban, but the call was ignored by law makers.

"I'm simply amazed that in a country like this, if we're serious about cancer, we can have people dying of other people's smoke. If you want to smoke, smoke in your car, your home, your space. If you want to kill yourself, don't kill other people," he added.

A spokesman from the Cancer Society said inhaling second-hand smoke is deadlier than smoking a cigarette.

She said: "I think the ban should be implemented right now. There should be a smoking ban in all public places especially restaurants or places where there are children. Second-hand smoke is more dangerous than anything else.

"As a health educator, I worked on anti-smoking campaigns with the Seventh-Day Adventists many times. Smoking is banned in so many countries, I don't know why we are always so late in doing things."

A manager Van Bruegel's, a downtown restaurant, said he would also support a ban on smoking.

Currently customers are allowed to smoke inside the restaurant, but only at the bar.

"Yes I would support a ban. There is smoking at the bar only. In the restaurant we don't allow smoking within," said Lamonte Lynes.

Some who oppose the policy have argued that enacting a smoking ban in nightclubs and restaurants will cut profits by driving away customers who smoke.

Mr Lynes agreed that it may turn some customers away, but said the health of the public is more important.

"It will, but then again we still care about the health of customers," he said.

Health Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said the government has a partial ban in place against smoking in certain places such as hospitals, schools and airports.

Last year, Barbados' Ministry of Health clamped down on public smoking and put fines and regulations in place for those found breaking the law.

Smokers found guilty of violating the ban face a $500 fine or one year in prison, or both.

Business owners in Barbados found guilty of allowing people to smoke in a public place could be fined $5,000 or be jailed for one year, or both.

According to cancer.org, sidestream or second-hand smoke has higher concentrations of cancer-causing agents (carcinogens) than the mainstream smoke.

"It contains smaller particles than mainstream smoke, which make their way into the body's cells more easily.

"When non-smokers are exposed to second-hand smoke it is called involuntary smoking or passive smoking. Non-smokers who breathe in second-hand smoke take in nicotine and other toxic chemicals just like smokers do.

"The more second-hand smoke you are exposed to, the higher the level of these harmful chemicals in your body," said the website.

In the United States, there are about 3,400 lung cancer deaths as a result of breathing second-hand smoke, according to cancer.org.

Second-hand smoke has also been linked to breathing problems in non-smokers, increased asthma attacks for children, lung infections for children under 18 months and heart disease, said the website.