A new proposal from the Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH) in the United Kingdom is aimed squarely at those who continue to smoke despite the known health consequences. The RSPH has been very clear about their intentions through their website, stating that they no longer want smoking to be viewed by young people as a “normal part of everyday life.”

The organization is calling upon lawmakers to ban smoking from public parks and other outdoor locations, while vaping would not be included in the smoking ban. 

Focusing on Health

The RSPH has called on lawmakers to recognize the impact of smoking on public health all around. Now that the negative effects of smoking are widely understood, they argue that lawmakers from all sides of the political spectrum should be willing to come together to remove it from public life.
This is not a partisan issue, but an issue of having a safer society all around. The goal would be to ban all outdoor smoking in public spaces including parks, restaurant patios and more.

The RSPH have also pointed out that many smokers actually want to quit, but may lack the motivation and resources to do it, so enacting a public ban could be just the push they need. 

Promoting Vaporizers

Unlike other nations which have unceremoniously lumped vaporizers in with cigarettes, considering them equally harmful, the RSPH has actually spoken out in favor of vaporizers.

The organization has recognized that millions of people have already switched to vaporizers and many of them have gone on to quit smoking altogether. Since vaporizers do not produce the same second-hand effects as traditional tobacco cigarettes, there should be fewer restrictions on these products in public.

In the view of the RSPH this is a policy which could result in fewer smokers overall. It would also solve the immediate crisis of exposure to harmful chemicals among youth whose parents and guardians regularly smoke around them.

Potential Global Impact

If this U.K. proposal goes through, the country could become a model society for other nations where vaporizers are currently causing significant debate.

The RSPH hopes to see a significant decrease in the number of people who persist in smoking, and offer hope of quitting by allowing an alternative to enjoy some privileges. In this case, that means allowing people to switch to vaping in public, which may help them ease off cigarettes at their own pace.

The eyes of the vaping community around the globe are now on the United Kingdom to see if the RSPH’s proposal will be able to achieve the dramatic results they expect.