SMOKING BAN Complete script

audio file

BBC help page


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!