| Background:
Second-hand smoke refers to ‘sidestream’ smoke released from the burning tip of a cigarette and ‘mainstream’ smoke – smoke inhaled and then exhaled by a smoker. Other terms used to describe second-hand smoke include involuntary smoking, passive smoking or environmental tobacco smoke.
For more than a decade, the medical and scientific evidence has demonstrated that exposure to second-hand smoke harms health and worsens existing health problems. Smoking is the single greatest cause of premature death and preventable illness in Northern Ireland. Smoking is a major cause of health inequalities and is the principal cause of the gap in life expectancy between higher and lower socio-economic groups.
Due to the health risks of second-hand smoke many countries have introduced legislation restricting smoking in workplaces and public places. On 17 October 2005, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) announced that comprehensive controls on smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces, including pubs, would be introduced in Northern Ireland in April 2007 to protect employees and the public from exposure to second-hand smoke. The announcement followed a public consultation on possible strategies for legislation to which nearly 71,000 people responded and more than 91% of respondents were in favour of comprehensive smoke-free legislation. The smoke-free legislation implementation date was recently confirmed as 30 April 2007.
The Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland (HPA) and many other health organisations have been undertaking work for many years to highlight the health risks of second-hand smoke. This work has included research into public attitudes towards smoke-free environments.
In August 2004 the Health Promotion Agency (HPA published research that assessed the attitudes of the general public in Northern Ireland towards smoking prohibitions or restrictions. The survey explored public awareness of the health risks of second-hand smoke and to what extent the public are bothered by tobacco smoke in public places. There was a general awareness of the risk of second-hand smoke to health but awareness of specific risks other than lung problems was low. There was a high awareness that second-hand smoke can cause significant health problems for children, although 15% of the sample were still unaware of this. The research indicated that many in the population were in favour of a completely smoke-free environment. However this attitude was more prominent among non-smokers.
In November 2004 the HPA launched a campaign Passive smoking – there’s nothing passive about it to raise awareness about the health effects of second-hand smoke and encourage public support for legislation to restrict smoking in workplaces and public places.
The evaluation of the Passive smoking – there’s nothing passive about it campaign indicated that the campaign reached its target audience and was viewed as thought provoking, believable and relevant to both smokers and non-smokers. Indeed, up to half of smokers reported they were encouraged not to smoke in front of others.
Following this campaign in February 2005, the public attitudes survey conducted in August 2004 was repeated. It should be noted that while 46% of the public were in favour of smoke-free public places indoors in 2004 and 2005, there was an increase in the number of people preferring both indoors and outdoors to be smoke-free (24% in 2004 compared to 29% in 2005). Furthermore, there was a decrease in those saying they are not in favour of smoke-free workplaces (21% in 2004 to 18% in 2005).
In both surveys all respondents were asked whether they would support a law to make all workplaces smoke-free. Support for the legislation grew from 61% in 2004 to 68% in 2005. The campaign evaluation and the 2005 survey on public attitudes towards smoking prohibitions/restrictions indicate the campaign had a positive impact.
Smoke-free legislation
From Monday, 30 April 2007 it will be against the law to smoke in enclosed and substantially enclosed workplaces and public places, and in certain vehicles. The legislation objectives are to:
- reduce the risks to health from exposure to second-hand smoke;
- recognise a person’s right to be protected from harm and to enjoy smoke-free air;
- increase the benefits of smoke-free enclosed public places and workplaces for people trying to give up smoking, so that they can succeed in an environment where social pressures to smoke are reduced;
- save lives over the next decade by reducing exposure to hazardous second-hand smoke.
District councils will enforce the smoke-free legislation.
More information about the smoke-free legislation can be found at www.spacetobreathe.org.uk
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