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Passive
smoking message is hitting home
People in Northern Ireland are getting the message about
the deadly effects of passive or second-hand smoke, according
to new research by the Health Promotion Agency for Northern
Ireland (HPA).
Results
showed that more people considered passive smoking to be
dangerous
to health following the HPA’s passive
smoking campaign. Sixty three percent of those surveyed strongly
agreed that inhaling other people’s tobacco smoke poses
a risk to health compared to 56% before the campaign. Around
two thirds of non-smokers who had seen the campaign said
it would make them less accepting of others’ smoke,
while more than 4 in 10 smokers interviewed reported the
advertisements would encourage them not to smoke in front
of others. Around 80% of those who had seen the television
advertisements found them somewhat or very thought provoking.
The figures
were announced today, at the launch of the HPA’s
2004-2005 annual report. Victoria Creasy, Senior Manager
for Public Health at the HPA said: “Smoking has long
been the main cause of premature death in this country and
over the past 12 months we have campaigned intensively about
the dangers of passive smoking, particularly in the workplace.
“It’s
reassuring to know that people are becoming less tolerant
of second-hand smoke, especially in the workplace.
However the research also revealed that many people here
view pubs as social venues, not workplaces - 3 in 10 people
polled did not view pubs and bars as workplaces. These establishments
are a place of work for a significant number of people and
bar workers deserve the same protection as other workers.”
Most non-smokers are exposed to second-hand smoke and the
weight of evidence around the serious health risks has grown
too great to ignore. Tobacco smoke contains around 4,000
chemicals, including arsenic, benzene, formaldehyde and ammonia,
with 60 of these known or suspected to cause cancer. Exposure
to second-hand smoke increases the risk of lung cancer in
non-smokers by between 10-30%, stroke by 82% and heart disease
by around 25%.
Victoria Creasy continued: “Let’s hope that
this is the last year we have to campaign for smokefree
workplaces in Northern Ireland and that the Minister for
Health will make the only justifiable decision he can in
the interests of public health - to ban smoking in all
enclosed public places and workplaces.”
The HPA’s annual report provides an overview of work
undertaken in 2004-2005 including work on breastfeeding,
mental health, alcohol, drugs, physical activity, sexual
health and health protection, and highlights some of the
organisation’s key partnerships in a local, all-island
and international context.
END
Notes to the editors
The annual report can be downloaded from the HPA website: www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk/Resources/corporate/annualreport/annualreport05.htm from
28 September 2005. It is also available to read at local
libraries
and copies can be obtained in alternative formats, by contacting Rachel
Kelly Tel: 9031 1611; email: r.kelly@hpani.org.uk
The HPA’s
television advertising campaign to raise awareness about
the dangers of passive smoking is currently
being shown on UTV and will run until 31 October 2005. Both
advertisements can be viewed at: www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk/Work/Tobacco/campaigns4.htm
All health
risks quoted are from ‘Protecting your
workplace from tobacco smoke: a guide for workplaces’ (2005)
HPA.
A full evaluation of the passive smoking campaign, which
ran from November 2004 to February 2005, will be available
on the HPA website by the end of the year.
For further information contact
Rosie McGaughey at the HPA -Tel: 9031 1611;
Email: r.mcgaughey@hpani.org.uk.
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