ONE county in England is considering a smoking ban for outdoor hospitality as part of plans to become the first smoke-free county by 2025.

Oxfordshire is planning on making the town a smoke-free environment where employers are asked to promote smoke-free environments and support staff to quit smoking.

Local NHS trusts will be smoke-free while encouraging smokers using, visiting or working in the NHS to quit.

Smoke-free is officially recognised by the Government when 5% of the population or less are smokers.

Reading Chronicle:

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According to the wellness 'hotspots' research, only 11.3 per cent of adults in Reading smoke, and this low rate could explain why Reading has the third highest life expectancy in the UK.

In Bracknell however, data from Public Health England shows there were 643 admissions to hospital attributable to smoking in Bracknell Forest in 2018-19 – a 7% rise on the year before.

The people of Slough have come third from the top of a worrying list highlighting the country's smoking habits.

Public Health England data reveals that 21.26 per cent of people within the Slough borough boundary were still smokers in 2018 - with only two other areas in England coming higher out of 147. Nationally the figure for smokers in an area is only 14.45 per cent.

Despite this,  we asked our readers across Berkshire whether smoking outdoors should be banned or not.

ALSO READ: Rise in smokers in Bracknell Forest hospitalised last year, figures reveal

The majority of people said it shouldn't be banned as "where else are smokers mean to go?".

Many non-smokers also think the measures are too strict and unfair.

Here's what you said: 

Kelly Young: "Maybe we should all just stop breathing."

Penelope Wilson: "Yes! Hate walking past people smoking it stinks."

Charlie Bell said: "No, I’m a non-smoker but think it’s unfair to those who are & it’s up to them if they want to. Banning smoking outdoors isn’t going to make people stop. It will just damage the hospitality industry further cos people will stay at home to drink rather than go to pubs/restaurants."

Michelle Bradley said: "No. I'm a non-smoker. Seems like there trying to take everyone's rights away. I think if people don't like smoke don't stand near people when they are smoking."

Graham Robson: "Yes 100% yes in places where groups of the public are.

"Why should anyone have to inhale your smoke."

Courtney Crowther simply said: "Where else would we smoke?"

Donna Desmond: "Yes. You choose to smoke so do it in your own home. I hate walking past people and getting a face full of smoke. Best thing they did was ban it in pubs everyone moaned about it at the time. But everyone is use to it now."

Dave Draper: "There's more toxic fumes coming from our cars and power stations than there is coming from smokers lungs."