Smoking on TV

[Carol Anne]

How do they get away with characters smoking ie: Coronation St etc., when smoking in the studio would constitute a criminal offence?

[gettinblurry]

There are a few exemptions...

Performers
6. Where the artistic integrity of a performance makes it appropriate for a person who is taking part in that performance to smoke, the part of the premises in which that person performs is not smoke-free in relation to that person during his performance.

[Mr Veritas]

Smoking in the film studio/ theatre/ on TV is allowed as long as it is part of an ongoing dramatic situation.
Some Local Councils have taken the non smoking rule a bit far by trying (usually unsucessfully) to force theatre directors to stop any smoking in plays,even when it lends period flavour to the play.
TV Studios/ Film Studios being seperate and enclosed do not usually have such laws enforced.

[Carol Anne]

I thought perhaps they may have smoked herbal cigarettes instead .

[Postdog]

Have you ever smoked a herbal cigarette? eugghhh!!

[trt]

I heard they were some form of a herbal tobacco as Ventrase (copper) in Heartbeat is a non-smoker and he rarely has a fag out of his mouth.

[Buenchico]

Your question has largely been answered but I'll just add that (other than in film studios, etc, as above) it's not smoking tobacco which is banned in public enclosed spaces, it's smoking anything which is banned. It's just as illegal to smoke to smoke herbal cigarettes in a bar, restaurant or work place, as it to smoke tobacco.

Chris

[laura-lou]

waaay too much time on ur hands lol

[socket2008]

If the studio is owned by a private company then it is private property. Whoever they designate to smoke can...as long as the appropriate health and safety mesasures have been passed.

[mollykins]

They're only allowed to do it in the recorded versions. In rehersals they just have to do their lines and other actions without the fag.

[BenDToy]

socket2008 - I think you'll find it is exactly the same as most offices, clubs, shops etc. around the country. Whether it is "privately owned" whatever that means, is irrellevant. It is a place of employment, and in general is subject to the same laws. So the owner cannot just allow people to smoke as he chooses. Apart from the exceptions posted above.

[deggers316]

have you seen the electric cig it unbelievably realistic, my friend bought one as a novelty even the smoke looks real but i said this would cause many arguments in a bar / pub people thinking he could smoke while others could not as its not a cig in the real terms the owner would have no legal right to tell him to put it out(or switch it ff) silly idea really,and as i told him for silly people to buty

[katerich48]

deggers is correc t I have seen the new smoking cigs.... you can use them in pubs and bars...I was discussing it in the piub with a man the other night who had one.. they contain nicotine but not tar,, Also I have seen them advertised with a picture of Dot Cotton next to it... So I assumed from that she was smoking them in E.A.....They are perfectly legal in pubs...and apparently they do help to top smoking the real thing.. Not especially cheap tho..