Should smoking be banned in Manchester city centre?

Last week saw news emerge that some public spaces in Manchester could become smoke free by the end of 2022 as part of a pilot project.

Piccadilly Gardens, St Peter's Square and the area around Manchester Town Hall are all being weighed up as options for smoke free spaces.

With the scheme getting set to potentially roll out soon, we want to know if you think smoking should be banned in the city centre.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

The plans would not see any additional laws brought in to enforce the spaces, instead opting for a more educational approach as Manchester looks to follow in the footsteps of cities such as Melbourne and New York in having smoke free areas.

Not all of our readers were in favour of the plans, with one arguing: " It's a step too far. Banning it indoors is enough.

" I dislike smoking, but allowing people to smoke outdoors was the compromise to stopping it indoors."

Another added: "I've never smoked in my life and welcomed the bans on smoking indoors. Outdoors is a different matter though.

"I would certainly look at banning smoking around entrances to buildings, as it is horrible having to walk through the stink, but otherwise, let people make their own choices whether to smoke or not and don't artificially restrict them."

However, others were in favour of the idea, with one person responding: " Smoking should be banned in the whole of the city centre. Traffic pollution and high ozone levels are already bad enough.

"We need green spaces and hundreds more trees."

Do you think Manchester city centre should be made a smoke free area? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

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