The campaign aims to stimulate debate

A campaign began on Monday to highlight health issues linked to smoking in public places and the dangers of second-hand smoke.

Posters and television advertisements will focus on the chemicals in tobacco smoke that can affect smokers and those who breathe in others' smoke.

Campaign organisers hope it will spark debate and make people more aware about the issues.

These type of campaigns are quite wrong to make the claims that they do, to turn non-smokers against smokers Simon Clark, Forest

The campaign is devised and funded by the Tyne and Wear Health Action Zone, Smoke-free North East Alliance and Government Office North East.

Tyne and Wear Health Action Zone campaigns manager Elaine Wilson said: "In our surveys, most people were unaware of the fact that the vast majority of people - 72% - are non-smokers and that this is not reflected in the choice of smoke-free places to go.

Better ventilation

"In fact, less than 1% of our pubs and bars are currently entirely smoke-free."

A number of shopping centres in the region have banned smoking in their malls including Eldon Square, in Newcastle, Gateshead's MetroCentre, Middlesbrough's Cleveland Centre, the Bridges, in Sunderland, and Milburngate, in Durham City.

Tobacco control manager for Public Health Group North East, Ailsa Rutter, said: "This high profile campaign is important to stimulate debate about what happens in our region to help us tackle the huge problems caused by tobacco use and to work towards a smoke-free North East."

Simon Clark, director of the smokers' lobby group Forest, said the majority of public places were smoke free and the only real issue was to do with bars, restaurants and club. He said many of these had smoke-free areas and better ventilation.

He said: "Any organic compounds gives off thousands of chemicals. The chemicals in cigarette smoke will be massively diluted in the atmosphere.

"There is no proof that breathing out smoke is a danger to other people's health.

"I think these type of campaigns are quite wrong to make the claims that they do, to turn non-smokers against smokers."