Health Act 2006

The Health Act 2006 is an Act of Parliament that provides for a number of administrative changes in the National Health Service.

moking ban

More significantly, the Act also introduced provisions for the creation of a ban on smoking in enclosed public places. This ban focuses on smoking:

* In places of work.
* In places that the public access to obtain goods and services, controversially including private clubs.
* In other places designated by Statutory Instrument.

The sections of the Act allowing a ban extend to England and Wales although the provisions implementing the ban will come into effect separately in England and Wales. In England the ban took effect on 1 July 2007. The ban in Wales came into effect on 2 April 2007. In Northern Ireland the ban took effect on 30 April 2007.

The Health Act also granted the Secretary of State to increase the age for purchasing tobacco from 16 to 18, coming into force on 1 October, 2007.

External links

* [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2006/20060028.htm Full text of the Health Act 2006 from www.opsi.gov.uk]
* [http://www.englandsmokingban.co.uk Explanation of the regulations behind the UK Smoking Ban]