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| health information | health news

NICE clears the air on smoker's rights

4 May 2007

Key facts

After 1 July 2007, smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces in England will be against the law. The smoking ban is already in place in Scotland, Wales, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Smoking costs the NHS in England around �1.5 billion each year. It's estimated to cost industry around �5 billion each year in sick leave, lost productivity and fires started by cigarettes.
Smoking causes a wide range of diseases, including cancers, respiratory disease, cardiovascular diseases, stomach ulcers, fertility problems, complications in pregnancy and low birth weight babies.
NICE is the independent organisation that gives official advice on promoting good health and preventing and treating ill health.

With the smoking ban coming into force in England from 1 July this year, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Evidence (NICE) has published guidance to help employers motivate their staff to stop smoking.

In the new guidance, NICE recommends that employers provide support sessions, run by qualified counsellors, for staff who are trying to stop smoking. Employers are advised to refer staff to the NHS Stop Smoking Service, and to health professionals for advice on stop-smoking aids available on prescription. NICE also recommends that employers give staff time off work, without loss of pay, to attend smoking-cessation sessions.

According to NICE, smoking-cessation support given in the workplace can reach a large number of staff. It's also a good environment for colleagues to support and motivate each other.

Dr John Moore-Gillon, President of the British Lung Foundation said: "We welcome initiatives which support people who want to stop smoking and believe it is particularly helpful for employers to make information about smoking cessation and other health and wellbeing issues available to their employees."

Employers aren't legally bound to help their staff stop smoking. But according to NICE, giving this kind of support in the workplace could lead to a more motivated, healthier workforce and lower rates of sick leave.

This is backed up by a study undertaken by the Department of Health in 2005, which found that people who try to quit smoking while receiving support from the NHS Stop Smoking Service and nicotine-replacement therapy are up to four times more likely to successfully quit smoking.

"This NICE Guidance is helpful in highlighting the role that employers can play in this area. We hope that all employers would try to help improve the general health of their workforce," added Dr John Moore-Gillon.