Essay on Smoking Ban
Indoor smoking nationwide is coming to an end especially for places such as pubs and clubs as new regulations are now being put into practice from the 1st of July 2007. Smoking is a huge concern in society today as it is a major health risk to not only smokers but non-smokers as well. Smoking causes many life threatening diseases such as heart disease, lung cancer etc and this is the main reason why new laws are legislated to slowly phase out smoking in indoor venues. As discussed in the report research that has been found explains that passive smoking is nearly just as dangerous as smoking especially in locations such as pubs and clubs. This is the reason why banning smoking is such a critical issue that is now being looked at and discussed further to try and recommend ways to help the issue.
The issue of smoking in pubs and clubs
Starting on July the 1st 2007 smoking will be banned in enclosed spaces such as Pubs and Clubs in NSW. This ban has already happened in Victoria and will slowly start to reach other states around Australia. The premier Bob Car says that the ban will slowly phase out to smoking in only one room in pubs and clubs. Mr Car stated `Today's decision is about protecting the long-term health of club and pub workers, it removes a known health hazard, passive smoking, from the workplace of tens of thousands of workers' (Chain 2004). Many people will not be happy with the decision but Mr Car thinks its best on behalf of the people who are forced to work in smoky places. Now that these rules and regulation have been put into place in many states people who do not comply with these regulations will be penalised with a fine around $5500 (Chain 2004). This issue of banning smoking in pubs and clubs is a moral dilemma as the ethics and values of people are not being heard. `Morals are personal values or principles that guide behaviour and ethics are systematic frameworks which codify moral principles' (Tench et al 2006, p 292). Non-smokers have a right to be in pubs and clubs that are smoke free as claimed by Mr Car (Chain 2004).
The reason for legislated smoking bans
The Cancer Council website (2007) states that the reason that smoking bans are legislated in nearly all states is because second hand smoke otherwise referred to as environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is made up of mainstream smoke exhaled by a smoker, and this side stream smoke moves from the burning end of a cigarette. This causes others to breathe in the estimated 4000 chemical substances contained in ETS this process is called passive smoking and it affects both smokers and non-smokers.
The Cancer Council website (2007) also clarifies that ETS is very dangerous as long lasting exposure can enhance the risk of heart disease and lung cancer. Other problems can also be caused such as asthma attacks, nasal symptoms, sore throats and other chest illnesses. There have been many studies concerning ETS since 1986 that confirm the risks of ETS listed above. Many workers who work in the hospitality industry are particularly at risk as they are exposed to EST all the time. There have been many legal cases in Australia and overseas in which people were compensated for the damage to their health caused by passive smoking as their have been great amounts of evidence gathered on the harmful effects of passive smoking. This issue of smoking is on the verge of turning into a crisis `A crisis is an incident or situation, weather real, rumoured, or alleged, that can focus negative attention on a company or organisation internally, in the media or before key audiences (Ruff et al 2003, p 3). If more bans are put into place then the issue of smoking can be controlled and not turn into a crisis. Banning smoking in pubs and clubs is just the start of fixing the issue and cannot stop there because as Dr Henry Kissinger stated `An issue ignored is a crisis ensured' (Ruff et al 2003, p3).
The effects of banning smoking
Smoking does effect many people and is becoming a public concern. The Cancer Council of NSW research found that passive smoking is killing NSW bar staff at about half the rate of workers killed by mesothelioma, caused by asbestos inhalation. The Premier Bob Carr stated
- `that for a person working for eight hours a day behind a bar, that is the equivalent of smoking half a packet of ciarettes. I recognise smoking is a personal choice, but we can't ask bar staff to smoke half a packet of cigarettes in a shift' (O'Malley 2004).
- The NSW branch of the Australian Medical Association said the wait in an entire ban means that more bar staff would die. John Gallotta its president said
- `The Government has quoted figures showing that exposure to passive smoking in licensed premises causes between 73 and 97 (bar staff) deaths each year in NSW. That's between 192 and 256 needless deaths before this ban takes effect'(O'Malley 2004).
A NSW health survey found that 23 per cent of people would go to clubs and pubs more if smoking was banned from these venues. Approximately 73 to 97 hospitality workers lives could be saved each year in NSW through smoking bans. These bans will also decrease hospitality workers' danger of lung cancer by 70 and 90 per cent and respiratory illness will most probably drop by around 40 per cent (Chain 2004).
What impact does it have on society today?
Banning smoking in indoor places has a huge impact as today's society are expected to be treated as equals and both sides to this issue should have the same rights. The publics need to have trust in these new enforcements this is where relationship management comes into the picture where there visions and values are met. `Vision and values relate to the business practice of identifying an organisation's corporate vision - where it wants to go and how it wants to be perceived through its core values' (Sagar et al 2004, p 98). Through Melbourne's visions on the bans the hospitality and gaming industry are already taking action by starting to make dramatic changes as an overflow of pubs and gaming venues are now precipitating in building outdoor areas for smokers before the strict smoking bans comes into action. Over 100 licensed sites around Melbourne have approached the councils in the last six months to ask to build balconies, beer gardens, and rooftop patios. Many venues have spent over 800 million dollars constructing new outdoor areas. AHA Victoria chief executive Brian Kearney said 'A significant proportion of smokers will decide to drink and smoke at home unless there is an accessible smoking option available to them' (Luca et al 2007). There has been a steady stream over the past 18 months of venues applying to councils to build outdoor areas. As Mr Kearney stated
`It's peaking now, and there are some really innovative solutions that venues are coming up with for example the Welcome Stranger on Bourke Street, which had hived off the front of its Bourke Street premises to create an outdoor smoking area' (Luca et al 2007).
Places like these are preparing themselves for such a big change and they are using the strategy known as issue management.
`Issues management is the capacity to understand, mobilize, coordinate and direct all strategies and policy planning functions, and all public affairs/public relations skills, towards achievement of one objective: meaningful participation in creation of public policy that affects personal and institutional destiny' (Chase 1982, p 378).
Many venues who are wise are using there issue management skills to organise all there affairs in preparation of the smoking ban, therefore they will not suffer as much as those who are not ready. Already in Victoria where the ban has been put into practice there has been a 20 per cent decline in revenues as stated in a recent report by hospitality expert Jack Bournelis. He also has reported that if pubs and clubs have prepared for the smoking laws and have outdoor smoking areas then they will not be affected to the degree of those that have not prepared (Cummins 2007).
Recommendations/Conclusions
Smoking is a dangerous habit and by banning it in certain places can save many peoples lives but there are those out there that do not care and are against the banning. It is impossible to please everyone but as Mr Car stated above instead of banning smoking from pubs and clubs completely maybe at least confine smoking to only one room in each venue. At least this way everyone is pleased. Even if all pubs and clubs make sure they have an outdoor area where people who want to smoke can go, this way no smoker will have to go without. There are many ways that clubs and pubs can go around the banning without losing any customers and if dealt with the right way the new regulations can be a positive thing for everyone.