[Intl-tobacco] Ottawa Residents Back Smoking Ban by Two to One (fwd)

[Robert Weissman]

Ottawa Residents Back Smoking Ban by Two to One
No net reduction in visits to bars and restaurants
Source: Decima Research Inc (ca), 2001-10-17Ottawa, Oct. 17, 2001:

The City=92s new by-law prohibiting smoking in all enclosed public
places, which came into effect on August 1st, currently enjoys
strong public support by a two-to-one margin, according to a
recently completed survey conducted by Decima Research Inc.

When asked their overall opinion of the new ban, close to two in
three residents of the new City of Ottawa say they strongly (46%) or
generally (19%) support the new by-law prohibiting smoking in all
public places and work places, including restaurants, bars, bingo
halls, bowling alleys and taxis. Three in ten generally (10%) or
strongly (21%) oppose the ban, while very few (4%) have no clear
opinion either way.

Survey Questions and Results

1. As you may know, the City of Ottawa recently introduced a new
by-law on August 1st prohibiting smoking in all enclosed public
places and workplaces, including restaurants, bars, bingo halls,
bowling alleys and taxis. Designated smoking areas will not be
permitted under this by-law. Do you strongly support, generally
support, generally oppose or strongly oppose this ban on smoking in
public places?

Strongly support 46%

Generally support 19%

Generally oppose 10%

Strongly oppose 21%

Neither support/oppose  3%

Depends  1%

Don't know/No answer  1%

2. Why do you [support/oppose] this ban on smoking"

DO NOT READ - CODE ALL THAT APPLY

Why Support (N=3D265)

Protects people's health 71%

Going out more pleasant/better air 29%

Personally bothered by tobacco smoke 25%

Am a non-smoker 13%

Only way to stop/discourage smoking 6%

Will reduce health care costs 5%

Other reason 5%

Don't know/No answer 1%

Why Oppose (N=3D126)

Unfair to smokers 41%

Undemocratic/Infringement of rights 41%

Economic impact/Will hurt businesses 32%

Prefer to see other solutions 9%

Voluntary approach is better 9%

Loss to taxpayers/Lost tax revenue 3%

Other reasons 32%

Don't know/No answer 0%

3. Since the no-smoking rule has come into effect on August 1, have
you visited restaurants or bars in the City of Ottawa more often,
less often, or about the same as before the new by-law came into
effect?

More often 13%

Less often  14%

About the same 70%

Don't know/No answer 2%

Majority support for the ban is evident across most segments of the
City population, but is strongest among residents under 45 years of
age (72%), and among those with higher levels of education and
income. Personal use of tobacco, however, appears to be a key factor
influencing views on this issue. Residents who have never smoked
voice overwhelming support for the ban by an 81% to 17% margin, with
63 percent saying they are strongly behind it. Former smokers
generally share this view (69% support versus 26% oppose). As might
be expected, current smokers (who make up 20% of the City=92s adult
population) express little enthusiasm for the by-law, with only 27%
of this group indicating support, compared with 68% who oppose it
(55% say they are strongly opposed).

The survey also asked residents to provide reasons for their opinion
on this issue. Those who support the by-law do so primarily because
they believe it is a health issue, in terms of reducing unhealthy
exposure to second-hand smoke (71%). Others voice support because it
makes going out to public places more pleasant (29%), because they
are personally bothered by second-hand smoke (25%), because they are
non-smokers (13%) or feel it is an effective way to discourage
smoking (6%). Those who oppose the ban do so principally because
they feel the by-law is an undemocratic infringement of rights (41%)
or is simply unfair (41%). Others oppose it because of concern about
the economic or business impacts (32%), because they would like to
see other solutions (e.g. separate ventilated sections in bars or
restaurants) (9%), or because they prefer to see this issue
addressed through voluntary rather than mandatory measures (9%).

Finally, the survey indicates that the introduction of the no
smoking rule on August 1st has had no net impact on the frequency
with which residents are visiting City restaurants and bars.

Most (70%) residents say they are going to these establishments
about as often as they had before August 1st, while the remainder
are evenly split between those now going out less often (14%) and
those going out more so (13%).

While the net effect appears to be neutral, the impact of the ban is
affecting some groups more than others. Residents 45 to 54 years of
age and those with lower levels of education and income are among
those now going somewhat less often than before to restaurants and
bars, although a majority in these groups still report no change.
Current smokers are experiencing the greatest impact: Among this 20
percent of the population, almost half (48%) say they have reduced
their patronage since the ban came into effect, compared with 46
percent who report no change. This decline is offset, however, by
the 80 percent of the population who do not currently smoke: 18
percent of non-smokers and 15 percent of former smokers say they are
now visiting restaurants and bars more often as a result of the new
by-law, compared with 6 percent in each of these groups who say they
have reduced their visits.

"This type of measure is almost always controversial", comments Dr.
Keith Neuman, Senior Vice President with Decima Research, "but these
findings indicate that the Ottawa public as a whole has accepted
this smoking ban as a necessary, if not desirable, step to help
protect the health and lungs of citizens and visitors."

For more information about the Decima survey results, please
contact:

Keith Neuman, Ph.D.

Senior Vice President

Decima Research Inc.

(613) 230-2013

kneuman@decima.ca

These results are drawn from Decima=92s new Ottawa Market Pulse, a
quarterly survey of the National Capital Region. This survey was
conducted between September 26 and October 1, 2001 with a
representative sample of 507 residents (18 years and older) of the
new City of Ottawa and the Quebec communities comprising the
soon-to-be-amalgamated City of Gatineau. The findings reported above
are based on the Ottawa sub-sample of 407, and a sample of this size
drawn from the population will provide results accurate to within
plus or minus 4.8 percent, in 19 out of 20 samples.