Only prisons, hospices and submarines are exempt from the smoking ban. Photo / Reuters
A historic right to smoke in public places in England was extinguished in an instant, with only a handful of rebels puffing away in defiance of the authorities.
Lighting a cigarette or cigar became illegal in confined spaces.
The Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, hailed the introduction of the
ban - the biggest smoking ban in the world - as an important step towards a healthier population.
Almost all enclosed public places are now smoke-free, including offices, warehouses, factories, pubs, cafes, railway stations, working vehicles and leisure centres. Only prisons, submarines and hospices are exempt.
Johnson said: "Labour has taken action to protect people from smoke in their workplace, pub or cafe. A smoke-free country will improve the health of thousands of people ... I am thrilled that my first major announcement as Health Secretary enacts the single most important public health legislation."
England was the last part of the UK to ban smoking, following a ban in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Irish Republic has also banned smoking in public.
Anyone lighting up in a public place faces a £50 ($130) fine - reduced to £30 if paid within 15 days. Owners of pubs, clubs and cafes face much stiffer punishment - fines of £2500 for every cigarette smoked on their premises.
At first local councils are expected to adopt a softly-softly approach to enforcement, with verbal warnings rather than court action.
A determined band of smokers nonetheless defied the ban in protest at what they said was an unreasonable curtailment of their liberty.
Hundreds of smokers sparked up cigarettes and cigars during a "mass light-up" at The Swan, in Churchgate, Bolton. By midday, the pub was already packed out with more than 100 smokers.
Landlord Nick Hogan, who invited local publicans to the event, said: "I'm not pro-smoking, but I am pro-choice. We are not sticking two fingers up at the Government, we are making a peaceful protest at a piece of legislation that is discriminatory. All we are asking for is a compromise."
The pro-smoking campaign, Freedom2Choose, estimates that up to 3000 of its members - including owners of social clubs - may refuse to implement the ban.
- INDEPENDENT
