THE boss of Bermuda's leading tobacco importer yesterday expressed concerns that a future ban on smoking in public places could impact on the principle of freedom of choice.

But William Pitt, managing director of Pitt & Company, also voiced some support for raising the legal age for buying tobacco from 16 to 18.

He did not dispute that tobacco use could cause health problems, but he urged the Government to note that other products, such as alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, also posed a public health risk.

Mr. Pitt, whose family has been supplying Bermuda residents with tobacco for five generations, was speaking after Shadow Health Minister Michael Dunkley tabled a bill that aims to ban smoking in public places and raise the legal age to purchase cigarettes.

Asked for his opinion on the proposed legislation, Mr. Pitt said: "As regards the ban on smoking in public places, this issue is a little contentious in that it impacts people's freedom of choice.

"Personally, I do not have a problem with the proposal, as I do not smoke myself, however, I do sympathise with those that do choose to smoke but are then told that you cannot.

"The same issue confronts the business owner if he or she is told that your patrons cannot smoke. In my opinion, the freedom of choice is a very important principle that should not be removed lightly.

"As has been said on several occasions, and as we all know, too much Government interference can also be hazardous for one's health."

But Mr. Pitt had no problem with the idea of raising the legal buying age.

"To the best of my knowledge, Bermuda is one of the few jurisdictions in the developed world that provides for a legal age under the age of 18," Mr. Pitt said.

"Today, as we all know, the tobacco industry is very conscious of its responsibilities when it comes to the youth, and the industry has been taking active steps for several years now to ensure that all of its advertising is directed at adults."

Mr. Pitt said he applauded Mr. Dunkley for carrying out his responsibilities as Shadow Health Minister.

He added: "We do not in any way feel that our industry is being unduly targeted. All of us in Bermuda understand the hazards associated with the use of tobacco, and those hazards are precisely why health warnings are so clearly placed on the product.

"Mr. Dunkley is simply doing his duty as a concerned representative of the public, and we have no problem with that. Indeed, as an employer, Pitt & Company is very conscious of the very high, and ever-increasing, health care costs in Bermuda.

"We are very concerned by this trend and we would like to see even more effort made by both the Minister of Health as well as the Shadow Minister in tackling, along with tobacco, the various other contributors to health issues in Bermuda, such as the vast amount of liquor and soft drink consumption in Bermuda that contributes so significantly to diabetes and other health related problems."

Pitt & Company was proud of its long history as the island's top tobacco supplier, Mr. Pitt added. But the threat that anti-smoking legislation might pose was diluted by the fact the company was also a beverage supplier, as well as a distributor of a number of Nestle and Sony products.

"It is of course possible that the implementation of this kind of legislation might have a negative impact on our business," Mr. Pitt said.

"In common with all businesses, we have been, and will continue to, monitor those issues, including legislative pressures, impacting our business."