English smoking ban to begin July 1

Pub landlords and pro-smoker groups have all expressed concerns about the law - fearing a negative impact on business and the ebbing away of civil liberties.

"Thousands of people's lives will be saved and the health of thousands more protected" by the ban, said Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt. "Smokefree legislation will protect everyone from the harm of secondhand smoke ... and relaxing and will provide a more supportive environment for smokers who wish to give up."

In March, Scotland became the first British nation to ban smoking in public places, with businesses warned that failure to prevent smoking on their premises would lead to $350 fines. Individuals can be fined $87.

Some workplaces, including adult care homes, hospices, offshore installations and submarines, are exempt from the ban. Smoking is also allowed in police detention or interview rooms and in designated hotel bedrooms, but cinemas, offices, factories and shopping malls are all covered by the law.

Similar rules will apply in England and Wales.

Several American states and cities, Scotland, Ireland, Finland, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Spain, and Sweden have all restricted smoking in pubs, cafes, offices and other public places in recent years.

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