Dr Max Pemberton: Banning smoking in pub gardens will NOT save the NHS

There are many things that impact health and cause people to have a poor quality of life or have their lives cut tragically short.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that smoking in a pub garden is not one of those cases. Smoking, yes, of course, but doing so in a pub garden is not what’s going to cause problems.

So why on earth is Keir Starmer thinking of wasting time and energy banning smoking in outdoor spaces, including those in bars and restaurants? It has been called “madness” and, as a psychiatrist, it is hard to disagree with this diagnosis. After all, madness describes a belief that has no basis in reality and that seems to fit with the idea that this plan is going to save lives and help the NHS.

Starmer is facing a backlash and a rebellion from his grassroots over his plans, which also include banning smoking in small parks and open-air stadiums.

This was one of my fears about a Labour government – ​​the tendency to interfere in people’s lives, to fall into authoritarianism and to trample on people’s rights and responsibilities. I find this kind of blame-mongering attitude towards legislators chilling. I suppose it’s an easy option when the real problems facing the country are so big and complex. It’s easier to pick things to ban to give them the feeling that they are “doing something”.

To be clear, I hate smoking. It ruins lives and causes premature death and disability. An estimated 76,000 deaths a year are due to smoking.

I used to smoke, but now I wish I hadn’t. For many years I convinced myself that I loved it, but once I quit, I realized I was addicted, that smoking was a waste of money, and that I was playing Russian roulette with my health. I don’t need to tell you why it’s bad for you.

But what each person decides to do with his or her health is his or her own business. I spend a lot of time instilling personal responsibility in my patients, telling them that while I can give them advice, they – and only they – are responsible for their health and must face the consequences of their decisions. This level of responsibility can be scary, but it is also an essential part of adult life.

Starmer has said the new law would reduce preventable deaths and help the NHS, but I really find this hard to believe and I also think it sends out completely the wrong message – that the state will always step in and save you from yourself.

I was a smoker in 2007, when the indoor smoking ban came into effect, and it bothered me because I felt it was an unwelcome intrusion by the government into my life. Of course, I knew that smoking was bad for me, but it was my choice. That said, I could understand the argument in favour of protecting passers-by. It seemed reasonable that other people in a pub or restaurant should not have to inhale my second-hand smoke – the smoking areas did not stop the smoke from dispersing, and then there were the poor staff who had no choice but to serve me.

There is no argument against banning outdoor spaces. In fact, quite the opposite. The number of deaths attributed to passive smoking is estimated at 10,700 a year and most of this exposure is thought to occur in the home. If people can’t smoke outdoors, where do you think they’ll go?

But there is also an insidious and menacing aspect to the repeated references to protecting the NHS.

This makes me very alert. Everything in life carries a risk. It is up to us to choose what level of risk we will tolerate. If our only motivation is to “protect the National Health System”, we should ban all kinds of things that cause illness and death. Alcohol, driving cars, swimming in the sea… the list is practically endless.

The NHS is there to help us when we feel unwell, not to be a tool to control us. It is our servant, not our master. The idea that the Government is banning things to protect the NHS shows a dangerous shift that began during COVID-19: from valuing the rights of individuals to valuing an institution.

Undoubtedly one of the biggest things affecting people’s health at the moment is the disastrous and shamefully long waiting lists that patients have to endure for treatment. It is estimated that 340,000 people die every year whilst waiting for treatment. Surely this is what the electorate really wants the Government to do, not someone standing in the garden of their local pub smoking a cigarette.

I wish more people would follow Oasis’ example.

The Oasis reunion has sparked an epic scramble for tickets. It has also surprised many people that the Waring brothers have managed to reconcile, at least enough to reunite and perform together.

It’s one thing to make up for what you can tolerate at a civilized Christmas dinner, and quite another to go on a tour of the UK.

Good for them. I’m glad they managed to bury the hatchet. As with so many sibling fights, it was unclear who started it, as both brothers gave different versions of what happened.

These kinds of fights usually stem from long-standing animosity, and then something comes up and boom! Everything explodes. I’ve had patients stop talking to a sibling over something as silly as them getting the zip code wrong on their birthday card. But of course, upon closer examination, you realized it was much, much more than that.

I often advocate trying to build bridges, especially between siblings. Yes, there are some people who have truly terrible ties, and the most sensible (and safe) thing to do for your long-term mental health is to cut them off. But in general, blood ties are important. You are connected to them in a way you could never be with a friend or partner. Yes, they can be very irritating at times (I have a sister, so I know all about this), but they can also be a wonderful addition to your life.

I totally agree with Kirstie Allsopp allowing her son to travel by Interrail after his GCSEs when he was still 15.

Over the past few years I have seen time and time again the effects of parents spoiling their children and never allowing them to be independent, fend for themselves or have an adventure.

Yes, I know that times are different than they were 20 or 30 years ago, when many of us were allowed to run around with little or no parental intervention, but in many ways, we are safer now than we were before. Technology has made it much easier for us to keep track of our children.

We are ruining a generation because of our obsession with controlling their every move, isolating them from real-world experiences and protecting them from all of life’s eventualities. We are creating a generation of anxious, dependent, insecure young people who have never had to do things for themselves and have never developed resilience.

And it is affecting them in other ways too. Figures published last week showed that more than 200,000 children in England (or 4,000 each week) were waiting to start treatment for anxiety alone over the past year. This is more than 100,000 more than in 2019/2020. A separate study also published last week found that 70 per cent of people aged 18 to 24 admitted to feeling lonely at least some of the time.

Compared to 32 per cent of over-75s, I think this is because there is a whole generation who have been brought up in their bedrooms glued to social media rather than going out and socialising with others. They should be Interrailing for God’s sake, it’s so much better for them than watching Tik Tok.

Finally, some good news for those of us who are more owls than larks. According to new research, sleeping in at the weekend could save your life. The study, of 90,000 adults in Britain, concluded that catching up on sleep lost on Saturdays or Sundays could “significantly” reduce the risk of heart disease.

This is music to my ears. I love staying in bed on the weekends. I live for it. What can be more relaxing and enjoyable than staying in bed late into the morning, dozing off? It’s absolute bliss.

Dr Max prescribes: Bala Bars hand weights, £59.99

Weight training is particularly important after menopause to maintain bone density, and these attractive bars are light enough for beginners to add a little extra oomph to their workout and get used to working with weights.

Forget January as the perfect time to start a new fitness regimen; I’m a big fan of viewing September’s back-to-school vibe as an opportunity to tone up after summer (and before Christmas).