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Partial
smoking ban would widen divide between rich and poor
A partial ban on smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces
would further increase the health inequalities between rich
and poor in Northern Ireland.
This was supported by research presented today at a smokefree
legislation debate hosted by the Health Promotion Agency
for Northern Ireland (HPA) at the Park Plaza Hotel, Belfast
International Airport.
Key speaker, Ian
Willmore, Public Affairs Manager for Action on Smoking
and Health (ASH), announced the results of a recent
survey which showed that pubs exempt from a partial smoking
ban would be concentrated in poorer communities. "As
studies have shown, poorer people are more likely to suffer
ill health and premature death due to smoking and are more
likely to be heavily exposed to second-hand smoke in their
work and social life. The recent survey for ASH confirms
that if the Government continues with these exemptions to
smokefree legislation it will hurt the very people it aims
to help, he said."
A partial smoking ban was supported by just over 8% of respondents
to the recent Government consultation. In Northern Ireland,
the workplaces where smoking would still be allowed under
a partial ban would be expected to include bars which do
not serve food.
Dr Brian Gaffney,
Chief Executive of the HPA, said: “Bar-workers
not only tend to have lower incomes, they are also exposed
to especially high levels of second-hand smoke in their workplace.
A partial ban which exempts some bars would therefore fail
to provide protection for those who are most at risk.
“People living on a low income are more likely to
live near and socialise in those bars which would not be
covered by a partial ban. Such a failure to protect the most
vulnerable in our society from the serious health risks posed
by other people’s smoke is totally unacceptable. The
only acceptable response is a ban on smoking in all workplaces.’’
It is estimated that in 2003, there were 617 deaths from
second-hand smoke at work in the UK, including 54 long-term
employees in the hospitality industry1.
The HPA
will be re-launching its anti-smoking television advertising
campaign from 20 September 2005 with two ads.
The first will focus on the effects of second-hand smoke
in the home and how it impacts on children and the second
will tackle second-hand smoke in a pub setting. The ads will
run until the end of October 2005.
END
Notes to the editors
The HPA’s television advertisement, ‘Safety’ will run from
20 September – 16 October and ‘In your face’ will run from
10 – 31 October. Both advertisements can be viewed here.
For further information contact
Rosie McGaughey at the HPA -Tel: 9031 1611;
Email: r.mcgaughey@hpani.org.uk.
1Jamrozik K. Estimate of deaths attributable
to passive smoking among UK adults: database analysis. BMJ
2005; 330: 812 |
