The nightclub smoking area may be headed toward extinction in England.
In addition to being a place to light up, the clubbing tradition has sparked impassioned late-night debates, countless electronic music friendships, and provided ravers with a needed space to decompress.
Now, the smoking area may soon become obsolete in England, as leaked government documents obtained by The Sun yesterday indicate that its government may implement a smoking ban in some outdoor spaces such as pub gardens, patios, outdoor restaurants, open-air music venues, and nightclubs. The ban would only cover England, as opposed to the whole UK.
The British Parliament is reportedly in favor of the ban, which would also extend to the immediate surrounding areas of bars, restaurants, and venues, such as doorways or “pavements,” according to The Sun. It could also apply to universities, hospitals, and public recreation areas, but private homes, parks, and streets would be safe.
Speaking to the BBC today, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed the ban is being considered and said action is needed to reduce the burden on the NHS, the UK’s publicly funded healthcare system. Tobacco use is the UK’s single largest preventable cause of death, causing 80,000 deaths each year, according to the BBC.
The BBC also reports that some officials are concerned about the impact a smoking ban could have on the hospitality industry.
Michael Kill, CEO of the UK’s Night Time Industries Association, told Mixmag the ban would risk “imposing yet another regulatory burden on businesses already facing considerable challenges.”
The ban would follow another bill introduced in parliament earlier this year that would prohibit the sale of tobacco and vapes to anyone born on or after January 2009.
Featured image from Pexels.com.
