[Intl-tobacco] UK: Updates on support for pub smoke ban

[robert.weissman@essentialinformation.org]

Little support for pub smoke ban - The Guardian
July 7, 2004

John Carvel, social affairs editor

Health campaigners are a long way from convincing a majority of voters that
smoking should be banned in public places, according to an authoritative
survey released yesterday by the Office for National Statistics.

It found growing support for partial restrictions on smoking in pubs,
restaurants, stations, shopping centres and places of work. But most people
said they would rather have designated non-smoking areas than an outright
ban. Only 20% thought smoking should be prohibited in every pub, as the
British Medical Association is demanding.

The results may explain the cautious approach taken by Tony Blair and the
health secretary, John Reid, who are under pressure from the medical lobby
to legislate to protect people from the health risks of passive smoking.

The ONS figures came from its survey last year. It showed 92% of people wan=
t
smoking restrictions in places where there are, or are likely to be,
children under 16. Among smokers, 68% said they did not smoke at all when
they were in a room with a child, compared with 63% in 2001.

Since 1996 support for smoking restrictions in restaurants has grown from
85% to 87%, in pubs from 48% to 56%, and in other public places from 82% to
90%. The proportion in favour of smoking restrictions at work rose from 81%
to 86%. Number of employees saying smoking was not allowed at their
workplace increased from 40% to 50%.

Just over half (51%) thought pubs should be mainly non-smoking, with smokin=
g
only allowed in designated areas. Almost a fifth (19%) thought the premises
should be mainly smoking with a designated non-smoking area.

A fifth (20%) thought smoking should not be allowed anywhere, while 8%
thought there should be no restrictions at all.  On Monday the BMA delivere=
d
4,500 letters to Mr Blair from doctors reporting their experiences treating
patients affected by passive smoking.

A BMA spokeswoman said: "What we don't know is whether people who were
surveyed were told designated smoking areas do not work."


The Scotsman


Support grows for ban on smoking in public places
July 7, 2004

Jane Kirby

Support for a ban on smoking in public places is growing, according to
research.  The public wants to see restrictions in pubs, restaurants,
workplaces and around children, a survey published by the Office for
National Statistics showed.  The majority (92 per cent) of people said ther=
e
should be smoking restrictions in places where there are, or are likely to
be, children under 16.

Since 1996, the number of people in favour of restrictions in pubs has rise=
n
from 48 per cent to 56 per cent, while those in favour of restrictions in
other public places has gone from 82 per cent to 90 per cent.  In
restaurants, 87 per cent of people wanted to see restrictions, up from 85
per cent in 1996.

Half of people in work said smoking was not allowed on the premises, up fro=
m
40 per cent in 1996. Meanwhile, 86 per cent of all people wanted to see
restrictions at work, up from 81 per cent in 1996.  The report showed that
over half (51 per cent) of people thought pubs should be mainly non-smoking
and with smoking only allowed in designated areas.

Almost a fifth (19 per cent) thought the premises should be mainly smoking
with a designated non-smoking area. A fifth (20 per cent) thought smoking
should not be allowed anywhere, while 8 per cent thought there should be no
restrictions at all.

The survey also showed that over half (53 per cent) intended to give up
smoking within the next 12 months, slightly up from the 51 per cent in 2001
and 2002.  But those who intended to give up tended to be younger, to have
children aged five to ten, were smokers of packeted cigarettes, and were
more aware of the effects of second-hand smoke.

The number of people aware of the effects of second-hand smoke was similar
to 2002.  Ninety per cent said it increased a child=92s risk of getting che=
st
infections and asthma (80 per cent), while over 80 per cent thought
second-hand smoking would increase a non-smoking adult=92s risk of contract=
ing
lung cancer, bronchitis and asthma.

Of non-smokers, 56 per cent said they minded people smoking near them, up
just 1 per cent from 2002.  But only 46 per cent of smokers said they would
not smoke at all in the company of non-smoking adults, compared with 52 per
cent in 2002.  However, 36 per cent said they would smoke fewer cigarettes,
compared to 30 per cent in 2002.

Tobacco manufacturers welcomed the survey=92s finding that only 20 per cent
want pubs and bars to be totally smoke-free.  Tim Lord, the chief executive
of the Tobacco Manufacturers=92 Association, said: "This latest research
reinforces the findings from the survey we published in January and are
almost identical to the results of the recent polls undertaken by Populus.
"The public want choice, not a complete ban. We urge the government to
maintain its support behind a voluntary approach, reflecting public
opinion."