The Government has set aside £29.5m to help councils enforce the ban
Posted on 05/31/2007 10:21:26 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
Smokers will be liable for an £80 on-the-spot fine for stubbing out cigarettes in the street when the smoking ban comes into force across England on July 1.
The Government has set aside £29.5m to help councils enforce the ban
This is one of a series of measures being introduced by the Government that will stigmatise what is normal practice for 10 million smokers, and - it is hoped - slash the NHS's £1.7 billion bill to treat smoking-related diseases.
Supporters of smoking said it was "unfair" that they should be singled out for punishment and vowed to resist heavy-handed use of fines.
But anti-litter campaigners welcomed the move, saying it would help end the blight of cigarette-strewn streets.
Ginette Unsworth, of Keep Britain Tidy, said: "Some smokers just don't think it is litter. They can be very naive and think it will biodegrade in a couple of days.
"We are trying to educate all the local councils and tell them there is no excuse for littering."
When the ban comes into force smokers will no longer be able to light up in pubs, bars and restaurants, although there is much confusion about the exact details.
Local authorities have been granted new powers to issue on-the-spot fines, film secretly in pubs and monitor people's work-places, be it an office block or a taxi cab.
Apart from prison cells, oil rigs and submarines there will be few places indoors where smokers can enjoy cigarettes in peace.
Councils are expected to raise millions of pounds from fining people both for smoking and for littering the street with their butts. The authorities say the money will help buy extra bins and advertising to warn people about the changes.
But pro-smoking groups and pubs have warned councils that they face an angry reaction if they take too strong an approach.
The litter fines of up to £80 come on top of the possible £50 fines that smokers will be hit with if they are caught smoking inside public places.
It is estimated that 79 per cent of all public places are blighted by cigarette butts.
Keep Britain Tidy is launching a campaign to remind smokers that they are liable for on-the-spot fines, under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act, which has been in force for two years but is rarely enforced.
The Government has set aside £29.5 million to help councils enforce the ban.
The number of smokers has fallen from 28pc of adults in 1998, to 24pc
Up to 1,200 local authority officers are expected to be trained to police pubs, public buildings and even vehicles to check that smokers are complying with the law.
However, there is no central Government budget to help with the tidy-up caused by all the extra cigarette butts that are expected on the streets.
Councils must decide how to clear up the mess and how to fund it. After the indoor ban came into force in Ireland, litter was reported to have increased by 15 per cent.
Colchester council is one of a handful working closely with Keep Britain Tidy and with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to crack down on litter. It raised £13,000 last year from anti-litter fines.
Residents are fined £75 by a team of six street wardens if they are caught dropping litter. Dave McManus, the head of street care in the Essex town, said: "It's not about making profits. We don't hide around street corners, like wheel-clampers. It's about education."
Other councils are expected to follow this example. However, pro-smoking groups said that councils should give a "period of grace" to smokers once the ban arrives.
Simon Clark, of Forest, (Freedom Organisation for the Right to Enjoy Smoking Tobacco) said: "It is very unfair to target smokers for littering as the same time as the ban comes in.
"We don't condone littering, but it is a national problem. It's not just about cigarette butts, it's about drinks cans, fast-food cartons and chewing gum.
"If the fines are used as a blunt weapon with which to beat smokers we will resist them."
Sales of personal ashtrays that can be slipped into a pocket are expected to take off following the ban.
But there is some confusion about who is responsible for litter outside pubs. A landlord has to get permission from a county council before he can put a bin on the street outside his pub, but the local council can fine the pub if it is found causing street litter.
Mr McManus admitted: "You do get the impression that it is being made very difficult to implement."
The fines are the last in a long line of anti-smoking measures that the Government has brought in. These range from increases in tobacco duty to banning cigarette advertising.
Though the number of smokers has fallen from 28 per cent of the adult population in 1998, to 24 per cent, this is well short of Government's 21 per cent target.
During the Second World War 70 per cent of adults were smokers.
Lets take a candid pick of all of humanity, Take it to the extreme and fine folks accordingly. /sarc
yitbos
When I was a smoker I would grind the tobacco out and keep the butt in my pocket until I passed a garbage can.
If they’re going to hammer all folks who litter, good for them. If they’re only going to beat on smokers, ‘ef ‘em.
Bingo
‘If they’re going to hammer all folks who litter, good for them. If they’re only going to beat on smokers, ‘ef ‘em.’
I couldn’t agree more. I am tired of seeing smokers toss away butts anywhere they want without a care. Often the very same people wouldn’t dream of throwing a sweet wrapper or crisp packet on the floor, but they seem to consider cigarette butts fair game.
Big Brother / nanny government in action. We’d better watch out or it’ll happen here. And if you think you’d like it, I suggest you spend a few months in the UK and try it on for size.
‘Big Brother / nanny government in action. We’d better watch out or it’ll happen here. And if you think you’d like it, I suggest you spend a few months in the UK and try it on for size.’
You mean it’s not illegal to litter in the US? I seem to recall it was when I lived there in the early 90’s.
I’ve spent 36 years in the UK so I think it’s safe to say I’ve tried it for size. For all it’s failings, mostly caused by Labour, I still wouldn’t live anywhere else.
Your choice. I worked in Bristol for 182 days (due to tax laws) and was shocked at nanny government intrusions into your lives - speed cameras, cameras checking vehicle tax stickers, cameras everywhere. Yes, littering is illegal here also. I like the UK too. Perhaps you’ve grown numb?
‘Perhaps you’ve grown numb?’
Perhaps I have, but I don’t consider cameras in public places any more intrusive than I consider a police officer in a public place intrusive. There are many high profile muslim terrorists currently being prosecuted here who would be free men without CCTV evidence. Rather like rationing in WW2, it is a price worth paying until the war is won. It is far easier to see a CCTV camera on a pole than it is to tell whether the NSA are listening to your phone calls or reading your e-mails.
Illegal immigrant amnesties and open borders concern me far more than CCTV, something which we are fortunate to not be faced with here.
When the Conservatives return to power at the next election we have some work to do reversing Labours reduction in peoples freedoms, just as you will have to do when you kick out your democrat majorities in a few years time.
I am sure both countries are up to the challenge and as my country has been a pioneer and bastion of personal freedom for a millenium, I am happy to stay here and put right the recent wrongs. :)
The first thing will be for us to remove Labour's taxes. Everything else will follow IMO: massive NGOs, the Anthropogenic Global Warming boondoggle, all other forms of government waste can all be pared down by reducing govt and increasing the private sector.
Wrappers and packets don’t start grass fires that can quickly become much worse. I have seen many grass fires started beside roadways that were caused by a lit cigarette butt casually flicked out of the window of a moving car.
“I am sure both countries are up to the challenge and as my country has been a pioneer and bastion of personal freedom for a millenium, I am happy to stay here and put right the recent wrongs.”
Since 1066, anyway .... look, this isn’t worth a gorilla-chip throwing session. I think we both are up to the challenge and are ready to pay the price UNTIL the war is won. It’s AFTER the war is won that worries me. Governments don’t readily give up powers they have taken and mine is no exception. Concur re: amnesties and open borders, THE hot button issues here now as you are well aware, being a FReeper. Contributions to the RNC are off significantly, which one would hope is sending a very strong message. Cheers!
Agreed AC.
The tories will have to pretend to care about global warming to get elected as so many unquestioning fools seem to have taken it as their new religion, then wean them off it with the truth when in power. Hopefully they will be able to encourage Scottish independence so a Labour govt will never darken our political doodrstep again! :)
‘Wrappers and packets don’t start grass fires that can quickly become much worse.’
A good point.
‘Since 1066, anyway .... look, this isn’t worth a gorilla-chip throwing session. I think we both are up to the challenge and are ready to pay the price UNTIL the war is won. It’s AFTER the war is won that worries me.’
Very true and my worry also, but one that we must risk currently then fight to remove. Actually we were a lot freer before 1066 and a while after 1066 than we were in 1066 itself, when the saxons were not quite as free as the Normans! :D
Well, looky here.
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