The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 272 No 7301 p662
29 May 2004

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Public ban on smoking supported by British adults

Just over half of British adults are in favour of a ban on smoking in public places, according to a new report from Mintel. This finding comes as researchers from Imperial College, London, reveal that tobacco smoke in the workplace is responsible for about 700 deaths each year in the UK.

Meanwhile, a survey commissioned by Forest — a group that defends the interests of smokers — found that 74 per cent of adults do not support a ban on smoking in pubs, clubs and bars.

According to Mintel, the bulk of support for a public ban comes from non-smokers. Of the 1,500 people questioned, 67 per cent of those who had never smoked backed this kind of ban. However, a substantial proportion of smokers (29 per cent) were also in favour. The Mintel report also reveals that 15 per cent of smokers would stop smoking if a ban were to be introduced.

The market research company also says that just over a quarter of smokers who would like to give up do not believe that nicotine replacement products will help. “It may be the case that more in-depth guidance regarding use of patches and gums, etc, is necessary to dispel negative preconceptions about these products,” a spokeswoman for Mintel said. The Mintel report coincides with the results of two surveys commissioned by health officials in New York City and reported in the BMJ (22 May, p1222). They reveal that its ban on smoking in bars and restaurants has contributed to a record 11 per cent fall in the number of adult smokers in the city between 2002 and 2003 and a 13 per cent reduction in cigarette consumption among persistent smokers.

Meanwhile, data presented at a Royal College of Physicians conference held in London earlier this month show that every week in the UK one employee in the hospitality industry dies from passive smoking at work.