Scotland Updates...
Smoking
26 October 2009 Increasing heart disease has steadily paralleled the rise of motor vehicle use. I would like to recommend a regulation requiring speed governors on private vehicles operating within Scottish borders, limiting them to a top speed of 10kph. Aside from the obvious reduction in accident deaths such a limitation would encourage many Scots who currently drive, to walk or use healthy bicycles instead. The increased exercise would greatly reduce deaths from heart disease while serving as a healthy example to our children who would see driving “denormalised” and spurn future licenses. I grant that “there is no data” that such a regulation would cut heart deaths in half, but “this is cutting edge legislation and will create new evidence.” Hey, these were the arguments used to promote tobacco sales display legislation, according to such personages as Dr Gruer, Director of NHS Scotland, and Shona Robison, the Minister of Public Health & Sport, at Holyrood’s Smoking Conference on September 23, so why not apply it to cars as well? If it makes sense for one, then it should make sense for the other, right? Why am I writing to you from Philadelphia? Simple: the antismoking movement is worldwide and coordinated through multi-million-pound international conferences where thousands of paid professionals and activists plan out these campaigns years in advance.
Your “Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Bill” is more easily passed there than here at the moment, but it will eventually be used to pressure legislation in the States as well. I saw the Scottish pubs in the early stages of being destroyed during an otherwise wonderful visit in early 2006 and I hear daily tales of continued destruction to that backbone of Scottish cultural life in almost daily emails from friends there. This “Bill” is simply one more step in a carefully orchestrated plan to socially engineer smokers out of existence through what they like to call “DeNormalization” – the final solution to “The Smoking Problem.” I don’t believe the Scottish people would approve if they became aware of the full scope and conscious planning of such actions or if they truly understood the extent of the lies upon which imposed smoking bans and their extensions are based. That is why I am writing from Philadelphia. Despite loud claims to the contrary, there’s no real evidence that display bans have anything at all to do with “children smoking.” They’re simply another small step promoting prejudice, discrimination, and denormalisation of those adults who have decided they enjoy a certain somewhat unhealthy pleasure in life. MICHAEL J. MCFADDEN Read
No 'same again'. . it's water for you! 28 August 2009
By Adam Morris BAR staff in Edinburgh have been banned from asking customers if they would like the "same again" – and told to offer a glass of water instead. The move, which was today branded "ludicrous", has been introduced as part of the Licensing (Scotland) Act which comes into force next week, aimed at tackling binge drinking. While the city council insists it has still not decided how to interpret many aspects of the new legislation, mandatory training courses for bar staff in the city are already under way. Staff who have been on the courses say that as well as being told not to offer customers the "same again" so as not to encourage drinking, they have been advised to always offer a glass of water. A prize of "cash behind the bar" can no longer be given as a reward for winning a pub quiz, while special offers such as "buy two glasses of wine and get the rest of the bottle free" have also been outlawed. And offering free drinks to customers who have perhaps waited too long for a meal or suffered some other inconvenience has also been prohibited. One source, who had been on the training course, which all bar staff will be required to undertake, said: "Some of the things we have to do are completely ridiculous, like not asking folk if they'd like the same again, and instead offering them water. "There are a lot of changes to make, so no more up-selling of stuff, like offering to make spirits a double for a pound extra." Some publicans say they have even been told to keep a note of how much each individual customer had consumed. Pedro Tomas, the manager of Mr Modos on Lothian Road, said: "I don't know how you are supposed to run a pub quiz without there being a prize. "When bar staff ask customers if they would like another drink, it is just an act of courtesy." All bar staff will need to prove they have completed a Scottish Government approved training course. Although ignoring even minor parts of the legislation would constitute a breach, industry insiders said it was probably too early to say how stiff punishments would be. Labour councillor Ian Murray, who also runs Aspin Bar on South Bridge, said: "On the whole I welcome this legislation, because we and many others run a very tight ship, and it's those who don't who've got us to this position. "But training courses telling staff not to offer say, someone who's had half a lager and lime, another one is ludicrous." Another pub manager, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Evening News: "It is hard enough right now to try to run a bar, the smoking ban hit everyone really hard. And now this. "We have had all of our freedom taken away to try to run a bar, and provide a social and fun place." It was revealed last week the city council was going to take a tougher stance on its interpretation of the legislation than any other local authority in Scotland, although officials have stated they are yet to meet formally to rubber stamp their policy. The city's licensing leader Cllr Marjorie Thomas said: "The board has not made any decisions regarding the interpretation of these conditions, relating to either type of premises in the city. "We will be taking advice from both our license standard officers and the police." A Scottish Government spokesman said it was up to local licensing boards to interpret the rules.
ALL CHANGE
Some of the new rules affecting city pubs: • No asking the customers if they'd like the "same again". Instead, if returning to the bar, offer a glass of water. • No more "cash behind the bar" prizes for pub quiz winners. • Prices of alcohol cannot change for any less than a 72-hour period – meaning no more "happy hours". • No more two-for-ones, or similar deals. • The end of "up-selling" – i.e buy two glasses of wine and get the rest of the bottle free. • Stricter conditions surrounding entertainment such as karaoke and live music.
Your Say: Do the new licensing guidelines go too far?
Ian Barclay, 37, shop manager, Polwarth: "If someone is old enough to be in a pub then they are old enough to know what they want and how much." Jane Hughes, 31, music tutor, Polbeth: "So many pubs ignore recommendations about selling cheap drink. If a pub plays by the rules, it should have no concern about these." Scott Clark, 41, IT manager, Parkhead: "This is an insult to bar workers and their managers. It isn't in their interests to sell drink cheaply, or to have heavily intoxicated people in their pubs." Read
Press Release - Fierce Lobbying Continues in War over Tobacco Display and Vending Machines.
June 8, 2009
A committee of the Scottish Parliament has been hearing evidence in Stage 1 of the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services Bill,1 which proposes to ban the use of tobacco vending machines and the display of tobacco products. The British Medical Association has declared to the media that many of its opponents in the debate are tainted by tobacco funding and that the primary concern of these organisations is financial,2 and has urged the Scottish Government ‘not to be swayed’ by their evidence.
Freedom To Choose (Scotland) has already published evidence that Tobacco Control activities throughout the world are heavily backed by pharmaceutical interests who have an enormous stake in the war against the tobacco industry.3
The Health & Sport Committee has received written responses from various organisations, including those with vested interests on both sides of the debate. It has also received well-argued responses from independent, self-funded organisations including civil liberty organisations and a retailers’ alliance.
“Ignoring the well-known vested interests of Tobacco Control organisations, the BMA in Scotland is bending over backwards to describe voices opposed to the introduction of display bans as tobacco industry stooges,” claims Eddie Douthwaite, chairman of Freedom To Choose (Scotland). “This is misleading. Most of the independent organisations opposed to this Bill were not invited to provide their evidence.”
Of those organisations opposing the Bill, the majority invited at Stage 1 of the Bill were those known to be funded by the tobacco industry (including those named by the BMA). These parties were asked to declare the extent of their tobacco funding by Ian McKee MSP.4
“The Committee has chosen to listen to stakeholders from both sides of the argument and has overlooked the centre view of non-aligned organisations putting forward the views of the public and the consumer,” continues Eddie Douthwaite.
“The fact that this tactic was used appears more than coincidental to many. Why were more independent organisations not called to give oral evidence at this stage? How can they make themselves heard with this pick and choose system of law-making to suit the agenda of the day? This is not democracy in practice.”
Health Minister Shona Robison has already declared, even before completion of Stage 1 of the Bill, that the Scottish Government is committed to banning the use of vending machines,5 in spite of evidence that there are several different ways to ensure age-restricted sales from vending machines.
The Health Minister will present evidence at the final oral evidence session, to take place on Wednesday, 10 June.
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