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Guernsey | Picture law for tobacco products 

People in Guernsey are being asked to help choose images that will be printed on tobacco products to show the effects of smoking on people's health.

New laws to be introduced later in the year will ensure all such products sold on the island carry picture warnings.

Currently tobacco packs only have written warning messages.

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• Guernsey Tobacco rolls up as smoke ban bites 

Guernsey Tobacco Ltd will close its doors for the last time at the end of the year. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0495125)

The manufacturer, which is owned by Sandpiper, will cease trading at the end of the year when its lease on a property in the Braye Road Industrial Estate expires.

‘Tobacco consumption has fallen in both the UK and Guernsey because of health lobbying and duty increases,’ said Paul Luxon, managing director of Cimandis, the parent company of which is Sandpiper.

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Guernsey | Law to pave way for smoking ban 

Legislation has been passed in Alderney paving the way for a future ban on smoking in public places in the island.

The enabling law was agreed at an Alderney States meeting and could take up to a year to come into force.

The proposed ban has attracted local objections with several pub landlords launching petitions against it.

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Guernsey | Pubs petition against smoking ban 

Pubs in Alderney have launched petitions against a proposed smoking ban in the island.

The States of Alderney is discussing a ban smoking in enclosed public places next week. The proposal aims to protect workers from passive smoking.

Seven of the island's 11 pubs have started petitions to gather support against the ban.

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Delight over smoking ban 

SIX months on and the smoking ban has been hailed a success by the States.

But those who opposed the move are still resentful. Environmental Health director John Cook said the level of compliance had been tremendous and feedback had been good. ‘We’re delighted the ban seems to have been met with a positive response. From a public health viewpoint, we are clearly delighted the public self is being protected.’ He said there had been few reports of people breaking the new legislation. Those included one complaint that someone had lit up inside a pub and another report that one establishment’s outside shelter did not meet regulations. Mr Cook said the licensees in both cases dealt with the complaints immediately.

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GB follows our smoke law lead 

ALMOST a decade after Guernsey raised the cigarette buying age to 18, much of Great Britain looks set to follow suit.

Guernsey Adolescent Smoke-free Project chairman Alun Williams praised the States for having the foresight to introduce the legislation back in 1997. He said it formed part of a package of measures to reduce instances of smoking in youngsters, including Gasp’s formation and its educational schemes in schools alongside wider social awareness.

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Delight over smoking ban 

SIX months on and the smoking ban has been hailed a success by the States.

But those who opposed the move are still resentful. Environmental Health director John Cook said the level of compliance had been tremendous and feedback had been good. ‘We’re delighted the ban seems to have been met with a positive response. From a public health viewpoint, we are clearly delighted the public self is being protected.’ He said there had been few reports of people breaking the new legislation. Those included one complaint that someone had lit up inside a pub and another report that one establishment’s outside shelter did not meet regulations. Mr Cook said the licensees in both cases dealt with the complaints immediately.

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Guernsey | Smoker is assaulted outside pub 

A man stood smoking outside a pub in Guernsey has been assaulted.

Police said the man was knocked to the ground after being punched in the face outside the Golden Lion pub on Market Street, St Peter Port.

Officers are unsure of the motive behind the assault which happened around midnight on Boxing Day. . . .

Smokers have taken to the streets to light-up after it was made illegal to smoke in enclosed public spaces in Guernsey from July.

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Guernsey | Parking ban follows smoking ban 

Parking will be banned in the a Guernsey street on Friday night in an experiment designed to improve safety.

The Environment Department says there have been more people gathering in the Lower Pollet since the smoking ban.

Some have been spilling into the road between parked cars, creating potential danger for themselves.

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England to follow us on smoke ban 

ENGLAND will follow Guernsey’s lead by banning smoking in enclosed public places from 1 July, the UK Government has announced.

The ban covers virtually all enclosed public places including offices, factories, pubs and bars. It follows similar bans in Ireland and Scotland. A ban in Wales comes in on 2 April and Jersey is also set to introduce a law next summer. Ministers say it will protect everyone from passive smoking, but opponents say the total ban is ‘draconian’. From 1 July, pubs and restaurants will have to display prominent no-smoking signs.

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• Smoking Ban 

MATRIX Chambers, the law firm of which the Prime Minister’s wife, Cherie Blair, is a member, is helping smoking ban protesters mount a legal challenge. . . .

Hotelier and restaurateur Tony Gover said that the Gray’s Inn-based firm would write up the case and five grounds for challenge had been identified.

‘This ban has been disastrous to Guernsey and is killing the visitor trade,’ he said.

He claimed 64 pubs in Scotland had closed because of the ban and four local ones were ‘definitely’ going to do likewise.

As a hotelier, he said he had 38 documents signed by visitors saying they would not come back here because of the ban.

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Guernsey | Pubs to stage smoke ban protest 

Publicans are to stage a protest march against Guernsey's smoking ban.

Smoking in enclosed public spaces became illegal in the island at the start of July, following a decision by the States.

Landlords say the ban has resulted in a reduction in trade and increased the amount of litter on the streets.

Organisers of the 17 September march around St Peter Port said they were calling for a "total recall of the ban" by politicians.

Peter Leigh, landlord of the Hampshire Lodge Hotel, said: "We are totally against it and want it to be shelved."

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Smoke ban’s here to stay’ 

ANTI-smoking campaigners say licensees need to accept that the ban is here to stay.

Guernsey Adolescent Smoke-free Project chairman Alun Williams said he was concerned that the real reason for it – which was to improve the health of the island, especially its youngsters – had been lost in the anecdotal evidence of bar sales reported by a few licensees. ‘We have heard the complaints of some pub owners about poor takings as a direct result of the ban and we note that it is those same pub owners who always opposed the ban who are most vocal now. ‘The reality is that smoking bans will shortly be in place in both our neighbours – England and, to a lesser extent, France – and we must now all move forward and adapt to the new reality of smoking being unacceptable in public.’

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Guernsey | Row sparked over smoke ban claims 

An anti-smoking group claims statistics are being misused to create a negative image of the smoking ban in Guernsey.

The Guernsey Adolescent Smoke-free Project (Gasp) fears the true purpose of the ban is being lost as pub landlords complain about business.

Since the July ban, some publicans have reported a 20% drop in trade and some say they will be forced to close.

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‘Four pubs and a club doomed by smoking ban’ 

AT LEAST four pubs and a nightclub will close in the next 12 months, predicts Tony Gover.

Trade is being hit by the smoking ban, according to the hotel, restaurant and pub owner.

‘The pub trade has been lied to and the people of Guernsey are still being lied to. Everything’s not all right, the ban isn’t successful and people are losing serious money.’

Mr Gover’s takings have gone down by as much as 35% and he has had to shed staff.

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