Smoking ban debate hits BBC airwaves: Wiel v ASH

There will be a live link up on Radio 5 Live and BBC World Service on Tuesday morning, 14 December at 7.40am (GMT). Paul Greer will be presenting the programme where Wiel Maessen (Forces International President & TICAP BoD member) will debate with Cecelia Farren of ASH Bristol (GASP).

Weil Maessen is a leading figure in the Dutch publicans' successful campaign to restore choice to licensees in the Netherlands where pubs without employees are now permitted to choose whether to allow smoking. He persuaded politicians that 'protecting the workers' would not work as an argument in favour of banning smoking where only owners of the business work. The battle does not stop there for Wiel, however, since so many people find the alleged dangers of secondary smoke either unconvincing, irrelevant – for adults who are able to decide where to spend their recreational time or where to seek work – or both. Winning the battle will involve victory of citizens over lobby groups over decisions about how they spend their recreational time, and restoring accountability to the political process.

Since Cecelia's runaway success in creating persuasive anti-smoking messages led her to convert her anti-smoking campaigning group into a business, she has been selling posters like this and other merchandise, including wonderful games and toys like these as aids to educating people about the evils of smoking. She's nothing if not enthusiastic! – but surely her commercial incentive for success in the anti-smoking business should raise questions.

This is a rare opportunity to hear opposing views on smoking bans publicly aired on the BBC.

Broadcast interviews from 7.40 UK time (GMT), Tuesday 14 December on Five Live.