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MPs Urged to Back Smoking Ban
By Eilish Martin, 2/10/2003 4:36:05 PM
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UCF has urged the province?s MPs to beat a deadline on Thursday 7 November and back the national campaign to have smoking banned in the workplace.
Thursday - when the current parliamentary session ends - is the deadline for MPs to sign an Early Day Motion tabled by Labour MP Kevin Barron. The motion calls on the Government to immediately implement the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) on workplace smoking.
A total of 106 MPs have already signed the motion, including six from Northern Ireland - Jeffrey Donaldson, Lady Sylvia Hermon and the Rev Martin Smyth (Ulster Unionist); Nigel Dodds, Iris Robinson (DUP); and Eddie McGrady (SDLP).
Gerry McElwee, UCF head of cancer prevention, said: ?We are grateful for the support of these MPs, but we want as many of our 17 representatives as possible to sign.
?The more signatures there are, the more pressure will be put on the Government to take action. It has procrastinated for more than two years on whether to accept the Health and Safety Commission?s advice to implement the ACOP ? any further delay is unacceptable.?
The national campaign is being co-ordinated by ASH (Action on Smoking and Health). The UCF acts as ASH in Northern Ireland.
Mr McElwee said recent data from the Office for National Statistics showed that 86% of people were in favour of smoking restrictions in the workplace. He also said that several studies had demonstrated that such restrictions were good for business ? bringing increased productivity, lower absenteeism and lower cleaning costs.
Mr McElwee added: ?Second-hand smoke is a killer. In s recent statement, 29 of the world?s leading cancer experts said that passive smoke definitely causes the disease.
?Around 3 million people in the UK have to endure passive smoking in the workplace. Government action is urgently needed to protect them.?
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