15. februar 2012, 12:04 – opdateret 15. februar 2012, 12:14

The Social Liberals (SL) would like to see a total ban on smoking.

As smokers and retailers adjust to new legislation that requires manufacturers to place shocking images of throat cancer, rotting teeth, and destroyed lungs on all cigarette packets sold from today, the SL’s health spokesperson, Camilla Herson, said: “A total ban would suit us fine. There’s no doubt that if cigarettes had been invented today they’d be outlawed. Unfortunately, thousands and thousands of Danes are addicts so it’s politically impossible.”

Her challenge to politicians to utilise every opportunity to make the public aware of how damaging smoking is to their health was challenged by her fellow SL MP, Jaochim B.Olsen, who defended smokers’ rights.

“People should be able to enjoy a cigarette without constantly being lectured to,” he said.

According to a 2007 public health study by the University of Southern Denmark, up to 14,000 people, including 2,000 passive smokers, die each year in Denmark of smoking-related illnesses, including cancer and heart disease. The Danish Cancer Society has also claimed there are at least 300 cases every year of non-smoking women who die of lung cancer through living with a husband who smokes.