Council housing tenants may be prohibited from smoking in their own homes under new rules being considered by some councils.
Under the prospective new rules new council tenants would have to sign an agreement pledging not to smoke before taking up residence in a council property.
Professor John Middleton, president of the Faculty of Public Health, told the Sunday Times: "Housing associations and councils are looking at smoke-free housing buildings. Where children are involved I think there is a real case for it.
"You wouldn’t evict a load of tenants for smoking. Where you have got new premises you could have smoke-free agreements from the start."
Deborah Arnott, chief executive of anti-smoking charity Ash, told the newspaper that people were “frustrated by councils’ and social landlords’ failure to take action” on smokers damaging the health of those around them.
However Simon Clark of pro-smoking group Forest said the move would be an intrusion into people’s private lives, and would "penalise unfairly those who can’t afford to buy their own homes."
Last month the Government blocked a smoking ban in beer gardens and al-fresco dining areas after ministers warned such a move would infringe on people's freedom and lead to pub closures.
More:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/08/council-house-residents-could-banned-smoking-homes/I see the Nanny State is alive and well. Unfortunately.
