Madam, - I am visiting Galway to attend the arts festival. I come from San Francisco, a city very similar to Galway in many ways: a coastal city, a tourist centre, a city with many bars, pubs and restaurants enthusiastically patronised by both locals and visitors. When our smoking ban went into effect a decade ago, bar and pub and restaurant owners were worried about the impact on their businesses.
After initial adjustments, their concerns proved groundless, and now, smokers and non-smokers alike would not reintroduce smoking to public areas.
Let me tell you what happened following the introduction of the ban in San Francisco.
1. Initial concern by smokers and business owners, some defiance, re-enforcement, compliance with ban; people loitering in doorways to smoke; initial downturn in attendance at traditional smoking venues.
2. A number of people quit smoking saying the added inconvenience was just what they needed; business owners noticed they did not need to clean as often; people began to enjoy clean air and attendance at bars, pubs and restaurants returned to pre-ban levels.
3. Smokers, now a much smaller group, moved out of doorways and took more responsibility for the impact of their behaviour on others; more people quit smoking because they could no longer respond to their habitual triggers (e.g. a cigarette with coffee).
4. Long-term economic gains for business owners: not needing to clean or repaint frequently, better health for employees. The smoking ban contributes both to health and economic well being after the initial period.
I must add as a tourist from a smoke-free area that I choose destinations that are also smoke-free. I spent a few days in London before coming to Galway and was reminded of the ineffectiveness of smoke-free quadrants in restaurants.
Ireland is leading the way in Europe with the smoking ban.
As more areas become smoke-free, people from these places will also seek to travel to and patronise other smoke-free areas.
That can only boost Ireland's reputation as a tourist destination.
Congratulations - and thanks for the clear air! - Yours, etc.,
LYNN LOAR,
Oldfield,
Kingston,
Galway.
Madam, - Deeply saddened to learn, from Simon O'Donnell's (PRO, Equal Rights for Smokers), letter, (July 14th), of the lamentable deterioration of social conditions in Rathmines where, he informs us, things are so critical because of the blowback and collateral damage from Minister Martin's smokescreen that "the public house will vanish as surely as the 'comely maidens' who once danced at the crossroads".
If it is any consolation to the desolate, I can only assure him that specimens of these rare native fauna are still reported from time to time on this side of the Shannon, though reports from the BMW region seem increasingly to suggest the best to be hoped for is a stray puma.
We can only hope and pray that when the smoke clears, Mr O'Donnell's prognostications will be proved exaggerated. - Yours, etc.,
DAMIEN FLINTER,
(PRO - Prior Right to Oxygen),
Tullyvoheen,
Clifden,
Co Galway.
Madam, - In my opinion, the claim of Simon O'Donnell, (PRO, Equal Rights for Smokers), that the smoking ban will lead to "the public house vanishing as surely as the 'comely maidens' who once danced at the crossroads", (July 14th) is as likely as hell freezing over.
Should this happen of course, I would happily, (as a "comely maiden" convinced of the benefits of the ban to both workers and smokers alike,) dance at any crossroads of Mr O'Donnells choice. - Yours, etc.,
MARY DELANEY,
Brighton Road,
Foxrock,
Dublin, 18.