SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES BAN

Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
 

Cherie Blair has been hired by the owner of a string of 'erotic' nightclubs to challenge the smoking ban brought in by her husband. The Prime Minister's barrister wife is advising lapdancing tycoon Dave West on how the ban could breach the human rights of staff and guests at his sex-themed Hey Jo club in Westminster - described as a "naughty Alice In Wonderland for adults". Her involvement, under her professional name Cherie Booth QC, puts her at loggerheads with Tony Blair's government, and a policy he is hoping will form part of his legacy.

Mr West, who accumulated a £100 million fortune with a Calais-based alcohol business, said that Mrs Blair had been hired after taking a tour of the club, which includes penis-shaped taps in the lavatories. Mr West, who also owns a lapdancing club in Mayfair, described her as being "not at all stuck-up, unlike many barristers". He said, "She wanted to see my flat and I showed her around, she told me jokingly she herself will soon be homeless. I even showed her the bondage table."

He told Mrs Blair of his plans to defy the ban, which comes in on 1 July, and asked for her advice. "Cherie said the court case should be filed before the ban and then the Government-would try to strike it out. I told her I was prepared to go to the European Court," he said. "I told her I would be defying the ban as would staf f and customers. When the police come, I shall show them the writ with Cherie's name on it and tell them to come back another time."

He said he was challenging the ban as it gave nightclub owners "no room for manoeuvre". He added, "I will be fined £2,500 each time it is breached. The only way for patrons to smoke after 1 July is by going out on the pavement and that could land me in trouble with the police if it creates noise or disturbance. I want to eyeball the authorities and am calling on other nightclubs to join me in the challenge." (Source: Daily Mail, Jun/07)

Bosses are being advised to call the police on 999 if workers become aggressive when told to stub out cigarettes to comply with the smoking ban. The government guidance is being issued to deal with anyone flouting the law at work, in pubs and other public venues. It came after the following steps were published on the official Smokefree England website:

* If an individual is breaking the ban,managers should initially point out no-smoking signs and ask the person to stop smoking or go outside.

* Smokers should then be told they are breaking the law, and so is the boss, and they both risk being fined. If this fails to persuade the person to stub it out, bosses should stress that the ban is to protect employees from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.

* Afterwards, managers should, if necessary, use the company's disciplinary procedure to enforce the ban and keep a record of the incident.

* If while these actions are being taken, the worker threatens physical violence, bosses should get in contact with the police.

* For customers, rather than employees, managers should follow the first two steps, then explain they will be refused service and asked to leave.

(Source: Mail on Sunday, Apr/07)

Prisoners who will be banned from smoking while being driven to court after the Government's smoking ban comes into force will be offered free nicotine patches to keep them calm. The Prison Service fears inmates suffering from withdrawal symptoms after leaving jail for a a day in court will spark trouble. Now taxpayers are set to fork out for nicotine patches as part of new guidelines to deal with the smoking ban when it comes into force in England. The law will mean prisoners will be prohibited from lighting up both in the vehicles taking inmates to court and in the cells in court buildings.

Whitehall has bowed to pressure and agreed prisoners aged over 18 will be allowed to smoke in their jail cells which are effectively to be regarded as the equivalent of an inmate’s home. Youth jails which will become entirely smoke-free but Whitehall has recognised that it would be almost impossible to ban smoking in jails holding adult offenders. An estimated 80% of prisoners smoke. Staff will have to tell prisoners before they leave for court hearings that they will be unable to smoke until they return to their cell in the prison later in the day.

The instructions to prison governors also contain guidance on how the service should tackle concerns about passive smoking. Prison officers will not be required to enter a cell if they have observed that a prisoner is smoking but they can instruct the prisoner to put out the cigarette and “where appropriate, open the window and vacate the cell”. The instruction adds, “The prisoner and member of staff should wait until they are content that the cigarette smoke has dissipated to allow safe entry into the cells. Security searching can take place when staff are content that the smoke has dissipated sufficiently to sensibly allow safe entry.” (Source: Mail on Sunday, Apr/07)