DoH reports on ‘smokefree England’

The Department of Health (DoH) has published a new report assessing the first year in England since the introduction of the ban on smoking in public places.

Smokefree England: One Year On includes responses from the general public, as well as health workers and businesses.

The report found 76 per cent of people and 55 per cent of smokers back the law, while 98 per cent of inspected premises showed compliance with the legislation.

Exposure for bar workers to passive smoke was reduced by 76 per cent while the number of people quitting the habit with their local NHS Stop Smoking Service rose by 22 per cent.

Dawn Primarolo, minister for public health, said: “We introduced this law one year ago to cut people’s exposure to secondhand smoke. It’s clear the law is working.”

She added that most people believe the law has had a positive affect on public health and commended the work of health campaigners, local authorities, businesses and smokers in making the legislation a success.

In January 2008, DoH figures showed 150,000 smokers gave up the habit between April and September 2007, an increase of a third on the same period a year earlier.