Smoke without fire?

Went out for a pub lunch the other day - at least half of those in the pub, who appeared to be regulars, and indeed the man behind the bar, were smoking. So I wondered what would happen come July 1st, when smoking in such places becomes illegal. I suppose during the summer months people will simply take their drinks to the tables outside and smoke there, but come the cold weather? It may well be that the pub, which is in a lovely but somewhat remote spot, and has been there a long, long time, will lose its custom and have to close. Seems a shame. So what about passive smoking - is it really such a health hazard? I, like I imagine most of my generation, was brought up in a smoking household, went to work in a smoking office and found my entertainment in smoke-filled cinemas, restaurants and pubs - so you would imagine that we ought to be dropping like flies now from various respiratory ailments - but I don't see any evidence of that. Could this all simply be a matter of people seeking to ban that which they personally find distasteful? I've mentioned before that I'm a one-time smoker, and I think it would be better if people didn't smoke, but I think this idea of "I don't like it, therefore you shouldn't be allowed to do it" goes rather too far.