Home / Media Room / News / ASH Daily News / ASH Daily News for 17 October 2007

ASH Daily News for 17 October 2007

Actors rapped for lighting up on stage

Actors have been rapped for smoking on stage after complaints from angry theatre-goers, who were forced to go outside to smoke.

Members of the cast even puffed on cigars at the end of their production of Abigail's Party at the Thwaites Empire Theatre, Blackburn.

Several smokers in the audience complained to management, with one man insisting the incidents had ruined the play.

Since the ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces, actors are allowed to light up on stage if it is found to be crucial to the artistic integrity of the show, following a risk assessment.

But environmental health officers and Darwen Council criticised the theatre after revealing they had not been asked to carry out an assessment.

The mistake was put down to an oversight and the council said no formal action would be taken against the theatre, even though it could have been hit with a £2,500 fine.

The show was produced by Blackburn Drama Club and secretary Eric Nolan said members of the group had completed their own risk assessment and didn't feel any need to contact the council. 

The theatre manager said, "After receiving a number of complaints, prior warning would be given in future about performances which include smoking."

Abigail's Party is set in the 1970s when smoking was more prevalent and tells the story of a middle-class house party.

However actors in the West End of London have been allowed to smoke on stage in plays such as the new production of Grease is the Word at Piccadilly Theatre.

The law states that prior consent of the local environmental health department is not essential, but is recommended to avoid any risk of prosecution.

Frank Mallon of Blackburn with Darwen Council's environmental health department, said: "This was an oversight and we won't be taking any formal action." 

The theatre manager Harriet Roberts said, "We received a number of complaints but the group took expert advise from NODA (National Operatic and Dramatic Association) and I trust them on the legalities of the situation. In future we will aim to fully inform audiences if there is any smoking on stage."

NODA chief executive Tony Gibbs said: "I would suggest the safe thing to do is to contact the local authority but there is no compulsion to do so."

Source: The Citizen, 16 October 2007
Link: http://tinyurl.com/35ho6q

Israel: restaurant which allowed smoking loses law suit

The first ever legal suit in Israel against a restaurant for allowing smoking where it is forbidden has resulted in a NIS 2.5 million plus expenses settlement against the Foccachetta restaurant in Jerusalem.

The case was filed against the restaurant by lawyer Amos Hausner, head of the Israel Council for the Prevention of Smoking.

The expenses to be paid by Foccachetta include the plaintiff's newspaper advertisements, court administrator and legal fees.

The restaurant will also be bound to observe the law that bans smoking in all public places and Foccachetta will have to publish an advertisement in a local and a national newspaper declaring this commitment.

The current law obligates food establishments not to serve people who smoke.

However, a new law going into effect on November 7 obligates the owners of all public places not only to instruct smokers to put out their cigarettes but also to call a municipal complaints number and file a complaint.

The new law also significantly raises the penalties against smokers and sets down hefty fines against proprietors, including one for each ashtray left on tables.

The district court's settlement is precedent setting, Hausner said, and will ensure public establishments observe no smoking laws.

Source: The Jerusalem Post, 16 October 2007  
Link: http://tinyurl.com/2yy5zm

Shisha smoking increasing but research still lags behind

While in many Western countries there is public health pressure to stop smoking, the use of waterpipes (also known as hookahs, hubble-bubbles, narghiles, shishas, gozas or narkeelas) is increasing.

A team of Cochrane researchers set out to see if there was any evidence about the addictive properties of this form of tobacco use, and whether there were research trials looking at treatment options to help waterpipe users quit.

Dr Maziak from the University of Memphis, Tennessee said, "We searched for published and unpublished waterpipe cessation trials in any language, especially in areas of the world where waterpipe use is widespread, but were unable to find any."

Many people believe that because the tobacco smoke is drawn through water, it is less harmful than other forms of smoking, but the evidence accumulated so far does not support that assumption. It also appears that using a waterpipe is as addictive as other forms of tobacco smoking.

"As waterpipe use is increasing throughout Europe and North America it is very important that we initiate comprehensive research efforts to combat this looming epidemic," says Dr Maziak.

Source: Science Dailt, 16 October 2007
Link: http://tinyurl.com/2chvyz

Smoking tops poll of annoying passenger habits

Smoking in the car is more likely to annoy fellow passengers than back-seat driving, non-stop jabbering or wanting to listen to The Archers, according to a poll of 2,110 Britons commissioned by Craigslist, a classified advertisement website popular with car sharers.

Smoking won a landslide victory in the YouGov poll to find the habit most likely to annoy fellow passengers. It was identified by nearly twice as many respondents as back-seat driving and three times as many as anti-social habits.

The poll is the latest blow for in-car smokers, still reeling from a warning in the new Highway Code that drivers could face prosecution for smoking while driving. This warning, late last month,  followed the introduction of the smoking ban in England on 1st July. The new ban prevents drivers of company cars from smoking.

Source: Easier Motoring, 16 October 2007
Link: http://tinyurl.com/2p3jfh