Press Release: A “voluntary ban” is both confusing and missing the point

The Freedom Association’s Director, Simon Richards, appeared on BBC Radio Gloucestershire this morning to talk about a “voluntary ban” on adults smoking in children’s playgrounds that has been introduced in Gloucestershire.

Saying that it was right to take children’s health into consideration, Simon suggested that this “voluntary ban” is impractical and that the emphasis should be on individual tolerance rather than an effective ban.

Commenting on the new non-smoking signs that are displayed alongside banned activities such as dog fouling, he said that they were effectively a “ban notice” and this was a further incremental affront to the rights of individuals.

Instead, tolerance towards the individual should be practiced by both councils and individuals.

The policy, implemented today by Gloucester Council, is due to be in place in 31 areas in the coming years and the fear is that smokers will once again get the thin end of the wedge and become more isolated as a result.

Simon’s comment that individual tolerance should be promoted is a timely reminder that there is still an inclination from councils to ban individual activities rather than promote tolerance towards them.

Indeed, the BBC interviewer commended Simon’s “fresh approach” by saying how refreshing it was to hear an alternative viewpoint. Hopefully the BBC will invite representatives of The Freedom Association on a lot more in the future.

To arrange an interview with a TFA spokesman on this subject please contact Rory Broomfield, Deputy Director, on rory@tfa.net.