MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

England joins rest of UK in becoming a smokefree zone

£200 for those smokers convicted by a court

A ban on smoking in public places has come into effect in England, spelling an end to drinkers having a cigarette with their pint in pubs, bars and clubs.

England is the final part of the UK to introduce a ban, after Wales and Northern Ireland in April and Scotland last March. The Republic of Ireland made the move three years ago. Newly-appointed Health Secretary Alan Johnson hailed the ban as a big step towards a healthier population. Virtually all enclosed public places are now smokefree including offices, warehouses, factories, pubs, cafes, railway stations, working vehicles and leisure centres. Mr Johnson said: "A smokefree country will improve the health of thousands of people, reduce the temptation to smoke and encourage smokers to quit. Support for a smokefree England is strong, with almost almost 80% of the public backing the legislation. "But we are not stopping here. Hot on the heels of the smokefree legislation, on October 1st 2007, we will be raising the legal minimum age for buying tobacco from 16 to 18 years old." Owners and managers of pubs, clubs and cafes are legally bound to enforce the ban and face fines of up to £2,500 if they fail to do so. Anyone caught smoking illegally will be given a fixed penalty notice of £50 - reduced to £30 if paid in 15 days - or fined up to £200 if they are prosecuted and convicted by a court. One of the world's leading experts on the effect of tobacco said the ban could prevent up to half a million deaths a year. Professor Sir Richard Peto made the forecast based on the experience of the Republic of Ireland, where cigarette sales fell by around 17% after its ban. A similar trend in England could lead to 1.5 million people quitting smoking, he said, adding: "Half of all smokers are going to be killed by tobacco. If a million people stop smoking who wouldn't otherwise have done so then maybe you'll prevent half a million deaths."