SMOKING
BAN Complete script
audio file
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BBC learningenglish.com - 01
Hello I'm D. C. and this is London life.
Last night in the British Parliament, an historic vote, a vote to ban smoking
in public places.
"The Ayes to the right : 384. The Nayes to the left : 184"
The Ayes to the right, the Members of Parliament who voted yes to the ban
: 384.
The number of people who voted no : 184.
The vote was about banning smoking in enclosed public places such as restaurants,
private clubs or pubs. No smoking in London pubs?
That's hard to imagine. But from mid-2007 there will be a total ban on smoking
in enclosed places. We'll hear from some smokers in a moment.
But first let's hear a doctor's reaction to the vote. Listen to Doctor Vivien
Fenson of the British Medical Association. What does she think of the news
of the smoking ban?
"It's been a very difficult one, but I think at the end ..."
BBC learningenglish.com - 02
"... to protect the health of people who work in clubs or any other
enclosed public place : then the only way to have it is to have a total
ban on smoking. This is tremendous, this is probably the only thing that
the government or that Westminster could do which will generally in the
short term start to save lives. Just absolutely tremendous!"
She's very pleased about the ban. This is tremendous, this is absolutely
tremendous, she says. One of the reasons for the ban is to protect the health
of people who work in pubs and clubs because where they work they have to
breathe in other people's smoke in the air, the second-hand smoke, it's
called passive smoking. And another reason for the ban is to encourage smokers
to give up.
Doctor N. F. says the ban will save lives very soon, in the very short term.
BBC learningenglish.com - 03
All over Britain the news about the smoking ban was a big topic of conversation
in the pubs and clubs. What did the smokers think about it?
BBC presents Phil Williams, spoke to people in a pub in Dorset , in Southern
England. The pub's called "The Red Lion". He asked smokers if
they would stop going to the pub if they couldn't smoke there anymore.
"Absolutely not. No. I also work here, behind the bar. I am a smoker
myself. No, I won't stop drinking here. Never!"
That was Robert. He works at the pub but he's also a regular. He always
goes to this pub. And even with the smoking ban, he'll never stop going
there.
Diane is also a regular at the Red Lion pub.
"I myself am a smoker and I have been for many years but no I won't
be staying away. And I agree with the ban. I think it's good for people
that don't smoke, who want to come out and have a social evening."
You go to a pub or a restaurant and you're a non-smoker, what if the person
at the next table is smoking?
Oh, that second-hand smoke. That's not fair. And so Diane agrees that there
should be a ban. And she's a smoker. But here's another question for her,
from the BBC's Phil Williams :
"When you go to the Red Lion next, and the ban's in place, where are
you gonna have your cigarettes?"
"Well, it might encourage me to stop smoking, so..."
"Hurray!!"
"If if I do wanna smoke I should go outside!"
Diane's not against the ban because it might encourage her to stop smoking,
that's good news. We'd like to know what you think. Are you for or against
a ban on smoking in public places?
Bye for now!