The council spokeswoman added that the signs were "part of a programme of activity to reduce the harm of smoking tobacco to the health of Blackpool residents, particularly children".

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Health Minister Lesley Griffiths said the ban would protect children from the harm caused by smoking.

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All these restrictions, he said, could protect some children from potential harm - both drinking and smoking by the parent during pregnancy can lead to low birthweight babies.

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Further, Sir Richard Doll, who first brought our attention to the links between smoking and lung cancer said: "I do not mind people smoking in my presence, since the risk of harm is so minimal".

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Martin Dockrell, director of research and policy at the campaign group Action on Smoking and Health (Ash), acknowledges that there is no clear evidence of a significant harm to health from second-hand outdoor tobacco smoke.

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Tobacco harm reduction advocates the use of reduced-risk nicotine products, which allows addicted smokers to curtail their smoking without forcing them to eliminate nicotine altogether an extraordinarily difficult task.

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