Smokefree laws are now so popular in the region – even smokers think they’re a good idea.
Smokers in the North West have backed the change which has seen public places go smokefree; three years after the original legislation came in.
In a survey of North West residents released this week, 82 per cent supported the 2007 law, where shops, offices, pubs, factories, restaurants, membership clubs and work vehicles became smokefree.
Notably – 66 per cent of those who smoked also backed the law – significantly more than the national average.
The research, commissioned by Smokefree North West to mark the third anniversary of Smokefree laws on July 1, shows that further legislation is more popular than ever.
Over 90 per cent of people who took part in the survey agreed that the laws had had a positive impact. Most said they enjoyed a more pleasant experience when visiting pubs, bars and restaurants.
Workers are also feeling the benefits of change – 93 per cent backed laws which provided a healthier environment for workers.
Earlier this year, the Royal College of Physicians report into ‘Passive Smoking and Children’ revealed that more households has chosen to become ‘no smoking’ zones since the 2007 legislation was introduced.
In 2006, 61 per cent of homes nationally were Smokefree. This rose to 78 per cent in 2009.
Dr Janet Atherton, chair of Smokefree North West said: “This law is one of the greatest public health advances in a generation and becomes more popular each year. Smokers and non-smokers alike think it’s a good idea. Already, smokefree public places have protected us all from the dangerous effects of second hand smoke building awareness and *prevented hundreds of emergency hospital admissions for heart attacks.
“While people are making greater efforts to protect their whole family from the dangers of second hand smoke, there are still at least 30,000 children’s visits to the GP and 1,000 hospital appointments could be prevented each year in the North West if all adults stepped right outside to protect children from secondhand smoke in the home.
“People in our region have already benefitted from reduced risk of heart attacks, but also of a reduced risk of a range of other diseases and of course better quality of life.”
[*Research released on 9 June 2010 conducted by The University of Bath’s Tobacco Control Research Group has found since smokefree legislation was introduced there has been 1200 fewer emergency hospital admission for myocardial infarction, commonly known as heart attacks (a 2.4% fall), in the year the after the legislation was introduced on 1 July 2007.]
