Smoking ban in British waters?

The Department for Transport is considering banning smoking inside vessels within 12 miles of the British coast by 2010. If they go ahead, it means that smokers could only smoke for 17 of the 29 miles between Dover and Calais, for example and onboard announcements would be required to let passengers know when smoking was permitted. It’s believed that the rule would apply to all ships, whatever flag they sailed under. It’s an increasing trend - P&O Cruises has banned smoking inside three of its ships - the Oceana, Ventura and Artemis and surveys show that two thirds of those who take cruises would prefer a complete ban on onboard smoking. However, a spokesman for the pro-smoking group Forest said that the move was ‘… part of the extremist health campaigners' agenda’.