Smoking could be banned in Trafalgar and Parliament squares as well as the city's parks if a report by London's Health Commission is implemented.
Other measures put forward include Oyster card discounts for commuters who walk part of the way to work.
There should also be a ban on junk food shops near schools, it says.
Smokers' group Forest labelled the call for a smoking ban "outrageous". Boris Johnson said a ban could be considered if "it would actually save lives".
The report, called "Better Health for London", has been put together by former health minister and cancer surgeon Lord Ara Darzi.
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The next thing you know we'll be banned from smoking in our own gardens”
Simon Clark Forest In it he claims half of all adults in London are obese or overweight and the city now has more obese and overweight people than New York, Sydney, Sao Paolo, Madrid, Toronto and Paris.
'Beacon of health' About 1.2 million Londoners smoke, and the commission claims 67 school children take up the habit every day.
The smoke free plan would see the mayor use his by-law powers over Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square and his influence over the Royal Parks, the board of which he appoints.
Local councils could pass similar by-laws for their parks and open spaces.
The implementation of the scheme has an estimated cost of £6.5m over five years.
Boris Johnson and Lord Darzi London Mayor Boris Johnson asked Lord Darzi to come up with a plan to make Londoners healthier The report's recommendations also include:
Traffic light labelling on menus at restaurant chains with more than 15 outlets Planning guidance to prevent new junk food outlets opening within 400m (1,300ft) of schools A minimum 50p per unit price for alcohol in boroughs affected by problem drinking An acceleration of measures to reduce air pollution in the capital. Lord Darzi told the BBC he would like parks to be a "beacon of health".
"London should lead the way for Britain, and the mayor should lead the way for London by acting to make our public spaces smoke free," he said.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Lord Darzi said: "We want to make sure kids are out there exercising rather than looking at adults smoking in the corner."
Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, said: " If we were to consider a ban on smoking in parks, we would need pretty clear evidence that this would have direct health benefits - in other words, that it would actually save lives."
The Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Sally Davies said: "I welcome any measures to reduce both active smoking and its role modelling in front of children."
'Walk away' Simon Clark, director of Forest, said: "A ban on smoking in parks and squares would be outrageous.
"There's no health risk to anyone other than the smoker. If you don't like the smell, walk away.
"Tobacco is a legal product. If the Chief Medical Officer doesn't like people smoking in front of children she should lobby the government to introduce designated smoking rooms in pubs and clubs so adults can smoke inside in comfort.
"The next thing you know we'll be banned from smoking in our own gardens in case a whiff of smoke travels over the fence."
In 2011, New York introduced a ban on smoking in Central Park and all of the city's parks and beaches.
I don't smoke and quite like not having someone spark up next to me in a pub or restaurant, but this is a pile of garbage.
If they really wanted to do something about public health make smoking illegal. But then of course they'd lose all that tax revenue and have to spend more cracking down on bootleggers.
This 'public health / saving lives' fig leaf is just a pretence at actually doing something , other than even greater restriction of basic freedoms. I'm big on 'freedom from' as well as 'freedom to' but for me, anyone smoking in Trafalgar Square doesn't bother me in the slightest.
I don't smoke and quite like not having someone spark up next to me in a pub or restaurant, but this is a pile of garbage.If they really wanted to do something about public health make smoking illegal. But then of course they'd lose all that tax reve
"We want to make sure kids are out there exercising rather than looking at adults smoking in the corner."
Excellent!!! Make the kids walk 400 ms to get their sausage rolls, and doughnuts, and smoke along the way!
"We want to make sure kids are out there exercising rather than looking at adults smoking in the corner."Excellent!!! Make the kids walk 400 ms to get their sausage rolls, and doughnuts, and smoke along the way!
As though anyone in Trafalgar Square isn't harmed more by exhaust emmissions.
By the way, E-cigs are the way forward.
(Not-so-thinly-veiled 45 days off the **** now post).
As though anyone in Trafalgar Square isn't harmed more by exhaust emmissions.By the way, E-cigs are the way forward.(Not-so-thinly-veiled 45 days off the **** now post).
LMAO- Have you seen the amount of traffic in London these days.
Ciggie smoke is fack all compared to exhaust fumes.
Houses right by the side of the A13 in east London have thousands of cars and lorries go past each day.
Why not ban traffic as well?
Any area with a London postcode should be traffic free - scrap the Congestion Charge and build gigantic car parks outside the M25.
Make people get trains, buses or bikes into town.
Only allow delivery drivers in.
That's a start.
No Smoking in Trafalgar Square LMAO- Have you seen the amount of traffic in London these days. Ciggie smoke is fack all compared to exhaust fumes.Houses right by the side of the A13 in east London have thousands of cars and lorries go past each day.
Next step is to ban smoking in all pubic spaces, so eventually if you want to kill yourself you can do it in your own homes, as a non smoker, there is nothing worse than being forced to breathe in other people's second hand smoke, smokers are the most selfish in society. if I had my way congestion charge would also be £50 a day, whatever it is now (I think about £15) it's not enough. health is wealth people.
*barricades himself in ready for abuse*
*clears throat* ABOUT FLIPPING TIMENext step is to ban smoking in all pubic spaces, so eventually if you want to kill yourself you can do it in your own homes, as a non smoker, there is nothing worse than being forced to breathe in other people's sec
LMAO- Have you seen the amount of traffic in London these days.
Taxi
I think our anti smoking laws are draconian, cruel and ridiculous
People are responsible for their own health, not the Government
Plus if people live longer society cannot support them, so about the intelligence of a donut
Just shows what a sad pathetic society we have become, governed by petty mean people
ps
I enjoyed Granchester on Monday, a normal world, people smoking in pubs
LMAO- Have you seen the amount of traffic in London these days. TaxiI think our anti smoking laws are draconian, cruel and ridiculousPeople are responsible for their own health, not the GovernmentPlus if people live longer society cannot support the
People smoke because they like smoking, it is a pleasant habit, it makes life easier
By trying to stop it, we are making life harder for ourselves, why????
Of course there is a risk, but as long as people are aware, that is fine
People make their own choices
The chance of anyone dying from passive smoking in Trafalgar square must be higher than Santa Clause being real, FFS!
People smoke because they like smoking, it is a pleasant habit, it makes life easierBy trying to stop it, we are making life harder for ourselves, why????Of course there is a risk, but as long as people are aware, that is finePeople make their own ch
So for the sake of knocking your balls around a table you risked death by second hand smoke?
Do you walk the streets where you live wearing a mask to protect you from exhaust fumes from cars etc?
So for the sake of knocking your balls around a table you risked death by second hand smoke?Do you walk the streets where you live wearing a mask to protect you from exhaust fumes from cars etc?
When the smoking ban kicked in I think I was barely 20 so I hardly had a lifetime of a pub smoking culture, it's only later on seeing the effects first hand did my outlook change, anyone that's seen someone die from normally says the same Do you walk the streets where you live wearing a mask to protect you from exhaust fumes from cars etc? You may laugh at this but I always speed up to overtake the smoker to avoid it blowing in my face, but then the next person could be smoking so I speed up more, good exercise
When the smoking ban kicked in I think I was barely 20 so I hardly had a lifetime of a pub smoking culture, it's only later on seeing the effects first hand did my outlook change, anyone that's seen someone die from normally says the same Do you walk
When the smoking ban kicked in I think I was barely 20
Which makes you 29 now?
I'm 63, and spent a lot of time in smoke filled pubs, working and drinking. Everybody knew the dangers of smoking by 1970, and a lot of people packed up. But millions didn't, and to date, I don't know anybody who died of passive smoking.
When the smoking ban kicked in I think I was barely 20Which makes you 29 now?I'm 63, and spent a lot of time in smoke filled pubs, working and drinking. Everybody knew the dangers of smoking by 1970, and a lot of people packed up. But millions didn't
My sister, a non-smoker, used to bring her kids to parties in pubs, then the next day she'd moan like fack about how much their clothes stank. But she'd still come to the next party.
My sister, a non-smoker, used to bring her kids to parties in pubs, then the next day she'd moan like fack about how much their clothes stank. But she'd still come to the next party.
That's good to hear but research does say different, in the last 50 years 2.5 million have died from second hand smoke
no not 29, think the smoking ban was 2007That's good to hear but research does say different, in the last 50 years 2.5 million have died from second hand smoke
A lot more than 2.5 million have died at war, from natural causes and winter 'flu.
Stop breathing, be a hippie, and you could survive.
Where did that figure come from? Anti-smoking campaigners?A lot more than 2.5 million have died at war, from natural causes and winter 'flu. Stop breathing, be a hippie, and you could survive.
There is nothing wrong with indoor smoking and non smoking areas
and do people think by banning smoking people will live forever.....sadly no
I hope this does not come as a shock to some people
I don't think banning smoking indoors has done our pubs much good...tobacco generates wealth for the economy we are stupid to ignore that
It should still be personal choiceThere is nothing wrong with indoor smoking and non smoking areasand do people think by banning smoking people will live forever.....sadly noI hope this does not come as a shock to some peopleI don't think banning smo
We are becoming too risk adverse in the West, because we have comfortable lives
but it is no good them being comfortable if we make them more miserable for themselves
The 1960/70's were a better and happier time, no one had trouble with smoking then
We are becoming too risk adverse in the West, because we have comfortable livesbut it is no good them being comfortable if we make them more miserable for themselvesThe 1960/70's were a better and happier time, no one had trouble with smoking then
We are becoming too risk adverse in the West, because we have comfortable lives
Too f*cking right. It's insidious, and it's making us miserable and paranoid.
For the record, I don't smoke. Since the ban as it is now though, I have never been bothered (i.e. caught any more than the faintest whiff) by the cigarette smoke of someone I was not actually socializing with, and that's good enough for me.
We are becoming too risk adverse in the West, because we have comfortable livesToo f*cking right. It's insidious, and it's making us miserable and paranoid.For the record, I don't smoke. Since the ban as it is now though, I have never been bothered (