 A giant "prescription" calling on the Government to ban smoking in the workplace was signed by doctors yesterday as it emerged Labour was considering making the pledge in its election manifesto. Delegates at the British Medical Association's conference also heard that 4,500 letters from doctors concerned about the negative health effects of tobacco would to be sent to the Prime Minister. News of the Labour Party's proposal came in a leaked document as new research found that the dangers of passive smoking could be even greater than previously estimated. Earlier this month, the BMA urged 1,000 doctors to write to Tony Blair urging him to end passive smoking with a ban in workplaces such as pubs and restaurants. But by the end of the month it had received 4,500 letters. Dr Peter Maguire, deputy chairman of the BMA board of science, led calls for the UK Government to follow the lead of countries like Ireland and Norway. He said: "I have seen that the ban on smoking in public places in Ireland has not affected business - business is booming there. "Smoke-free places means life not death." The possibility of giving local authorities new powers to introduce bans at work and in public places was a key theme of the Government's public consultation exercise - the Big Conversation - carried out over the past few months. The leaked policy document is the first indication of the outcome of the exercise and will be discussed by Labour's Policy Forum next month. It also discusses the possibility of sustained above-inflation increases in tobacco taxes as a means of cutting cigarette consumption, and notes that it would be necessary to decide whether a ban should be imposed by local or national government. A Labour spokesman said: "The draft document reflects the concerns raised by party members on this issue, but does not draw definitive conclusions." Previous research has found that passive smoking is linked with a 25-30pc increased risk of coronary heart disease. But the latest study, published on bmj.com, found that non-smokers faced a 50-60pc increased risk of falling victim to the disease. Liberal Democrat health spokesman Paul Burstow said: "It's high time the Government stopped dithering and enforced a smoking ban in public places. "On straight public health grounds, preventing smoking in public places would deliver substantial health benefits. "A ban would protect staff and customers from the effects of second-hand smoke, and would help many more kick the habit. "There is a civil liberties issue, but the test must surely be: does a person's freedom to smoke in a public place do serious harm to others? It clearly does, as smoking kills." | 
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