Having a discussion with a smoker the other day about the 'need' for firearms and it made me wonder about deaths attributable to passive smoking so I did some research and found:

Second hand smoke is responsible for around 11,000 deaths in the UK every year. In the US, firearms are involved in around 5,500 murders year.

People in the UK are very quick to say that US gun control is out of control is out of control and why does anyone 'need' automatic weapons but no one needs to smoke either.

I have an extremely hard time believing 11000 people on the planet die from 2nd hand smoke annually, let alone the UK.

TXL

I don't know how it is over there, but over here the people who want to outlaw guns are usually the same people who want to outlaw cigarettes.

The WHO reckons it's 600,000 per year worldwide http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11844169

Unfortunately in my experience, the vast majority of people over here believe gun control laws aren't tight enough both here and in the US.

I do not doubt your statistic (thanks, btw).

Q: is it permitted to smoke in restaurants and bars in the UK?  Are there separate smoking sections provided?  What about at work?

No, smoking in all enclosed public places (including workplaces & work vehicles) was banned in 2007.  They've also just banned smoking in a vehicle with children.

I believe it.

I hate having to breath in someone else's trash.