The UK government is contemplating banning smoking in selected outdoor public places, according to official papers leaked to a British newspaper. The proposals would prohibit smoking outside hospitals, sports grounds, and universities, as well as in pub gardens and outdoor restaurants. People would be free to continue to smoke on the street or in sizeable open spaces, such as parks. On Aug 29, 2024, in remarks to the media in response to the leak, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer noted that there are more than 80 000 tobacco-related deaths each year in the UK and that his Government was committed to prevention of these deaths.