Starmer stated that a smoking ban would alleviate the medical burden on the state-run National Health Service (NHS), as well as the costly expense to taxpayers. The PM explained he aimed to decrease the number of fatalities from preventable diseases, as 80,000 individuals die annually from smoking.
"I want us to move to a smoke-free environment, want to reduce those preventable deaths. I want to reduce the burden on the NHS, desperately needed...and obviously, I want to reduce the burden on the taxpayer," said Starmer, asserting that he is "supportive" of an outdoor smoking ban.
In its campaign manifesto, the left-wing Labour Party of Britain, which emerged victorious in the recent general election, announced its intention to implement some of the most stringent anti-smoking regulations in the world by prohibiting the smoking of younger individuals.
The previous government run by the Conservative Party announced similar measures; however, the plan was not implemented prior to the election.
In 2007, smoking was prohibited in nearly all indoor public spaces in Britain, including bars and workplaces. According to Cancer Research UK, this resulted in an estimated 1.9 million fewer smokers, and researchers from the British Medical Journal estimated that there were 1,200 fewer hospital admissions for heart attacks in the year that followed, as reported by Reuters.
The hospitality industry in Britain has expressed concern that a more stringent smoking prohibition could result in the closure of certain businesses.
Kate Nicholls, UK Hospitality's chief executive of trade and body, explained: "A ban on smoking in outdoor spaces comes with the prospect of serious economic harm to hospitality venues. This ban would not only affect pubs and nightclubs, but hotels, cafes, and restaurants."
Smoking is estimated to cost the taxpayer-funded British health services 17 billion pounds ($22.37 billion) annually, according to the government. Medical and healthcare professionals are in favor of imposing more stringent restrictions on smokers.
