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| health information | health news

England goes smokefree

1 July 2007

Key facts

About a quarter of the adult population in the UK (10 million people) smoke cigarettes.
More than two out of three smokers would like to quit.
In the UK, 114,000 smokers die every year due to smoking related causes.
It is estimated that second-hand smoke causes over 10,000 deaths a year in the UK.
Every year, smoking costs the NHS across the UK about �1.5 billion.
Nearly 80 percent of people support the smokefree law.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends bupropion (Zyban), varenicline (Champix) and nicotine replacement therapy to smokers who wish to quit.

Today England joins Ireland, Scotland and Wales in banning smoking in all enclosed public places and workplaces.

It is now illegal to smoke anywhere that is considered to be enclosed or substantially enclosed. This includes pubs, restaurants, shopping centres and the workplace. People flouting the new law will face on the spot fines of £50.

As well as including temporary buildings such as marquees, the law extends to work vehicles used by more than one person and public transport. It also spells an end to staff smoking rooms - employees will now have to go outside to smoke.

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There is strong support for the ban from charities such as Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). It has campaigned for many years to raise awareness of, and reduce the health problems caused by tobacco.

ASH's policy and campaigns manager Martin Dockrell said: "1 July represents without doubt one of the greatest leaps forward in public health. Workers will get statutory protection in virtually all workplaces - this matters because 600 workers die from second-hand smoke every year. We also expect millions of smokers to try to quit when England goes smokefree."

"It is also important because evidence shows that when people smoke less in public places they also smoke less at home. This is good for England's children as well as for workers."

Smoking is responsible for nearly 90 percent of deaths from lung cancer. It increases the risk of developing lung conditions such as bronchitis and emphysema. Even if you don't smoke, breathing in second-hand smoke (also known as passive smoking) raises your likelihood of getting serious diseases including lung cancer. There is also evidence that second-hand smoke causes cot death and that children who breathe it in are more at risk of conditions such as asthma.

The Government expects the smoking ban will save thousands of lives over the next decade.