On Sunday 26 March, it officially became illegal to smoke in enclosed public places in Scotland, as a result of the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005. The ban stretches to places of work, including pubs, clubs, lorries, vans and public transport. It could lead to a £50 fine if anyone is caught smoking, rising to £200 for operators of premises who allow people to smoke or fail to display warnings that smoking is prohibited.
Environmental tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals and is linked with around three deaths per day in Scotland among life-long non-smokers through heart disease, lung cancer, respiratory conditions and strokes. Health campaigners have hailed the Act as the biggest step forward in health and safety legislation for a generation and a spokeswoman for Edinburgh City Council said 22 of it's environmental health officers had patrolled 147 venues and found very few problems.
The implementation of the Act will be closely monitored in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, where similar bans have also been approved.
