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.

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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.