WE’RE HEALTHIER NOW – NO BUTTS

Ten years on, what has the smoking ban done for Wales?

TODAY marks 10 years since ground-breaking legislation banning smoking in enclosed public places came into force across Wales – and smoking rates among adults and teenagers have reduced “drastically” as a result.

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Wales said the hotly debated ban, which came into force in Wales on April 2, 2007, “has helped to drastically bring down smoking rates among adults and teenagers alike, and saved thousands from the harms of a product which kills one in two of its long-term users”.

Figures show that in 2007, 24% of adults in Wales smoked but that now stands at 19% – more than 94,000 fewer smokers. When it comes to teenagers, smoking rates have reduced by 6% for boys and 14% for girls.

There has also been a huge decrease in the numbers of those who smoke in the home, dropping from 80% to 46% since the ban’s implementation. ASH Wales says this suggests a better awareness of the dangers of second-hand smoke, especially around children and families.

Chief executive of tobacco control campaign charity ASH Wales, Suzanne Cass, said: “The smoking ban has resulted in the most positive improvement in the nation’s health in decades. The significance of this legislation should not be underestimated. Thousands more children now live in a smoke-free home, and hundreds of thousands of people are no longer subjected to the deadly effects of passive smoking.

“There is clear evidence smokers no longer feel as comfortable smoking around others – the number of people smoking in their own home has almost halved since the ban came into place. It is fantastic to see the message about the dangers of smoking, especially around children, is being heard.”

The hidden threat from second-hand smoke, especially for workers in the leisure industry like pubs and clubs, was cited as one of the major reasons for introducing the indoor smoking ban.

And a YouGov poll showed there continues to be strong support for the smoking ban in Wales – with 81% of people in support of the legislation. Three quarters of smokers are in favour of the ban.

But despite the success, ASH Wales believes there are still more changes to be had.

Suzanne added: “Smoking rates have dropped for most of the population except among the unemployed where they’ve in fact increased from 41% to 43%.”