SMOKING - FUMING MAD?

SMOKING BAN | Could smoke-free zones become commonplace?

Health experts argue that a ban on smoking in public places will make us healthier. Inside Out looks at whether smokers will be fuming mad if no smoking areas get the go-ahead.

It's enough to make smokers fuming mad, but plans to bring American style no smoking bars to our towns and cities could save thousands of lives.

One hundred and twenty thousand smokers die every year of smoking-related diseases such as lung cancer and heart attacks, six times the number killed in road accidents.

The North East of England is one of the worst offenders with 30% of the population lighting up compared with 27% in the country as a whole.

Now the region could be the first in Britain to impose smoking bans in bars and public places if local Health Authorities have their way.

Silent killer?

According to the World Health Organisation, one out of every two long-term smokers will be killed by tobacco.

Smoking in pubs and bars could be a thing of the past

From 1985-2000, tobacco has killed more than 60 million people in the developed countries alone, more than died in World War Two.

In the North East it's a similar story with one of the worst mortality rates from smoking-related illnesses in the UK.

In this part of the country 85 men and 44 women per 100,000 contract lung cancer each year compared to the national average of 72 men and 35 women.

Snuffed out

The Northumberland/Tyne and Wear Strategic Health Authority is concerned about the statistics, and has applied for £5m in European funding to set up an Office For Tobacco Control.

Dr Stephen Singleton, Head of the the Strategic Health Authority, thinks that a smoking ban is likely to happen in the North East within the next five years.

"I think that we could be the first region to ban smoking. We've got a big problem with smoking with about 30% smokers, higher than the national average," he says.

"We know that there's a majority of people would think about a ban and would possibly support it."

Smoke-free zone?

But what would be the effect of declaring war on tobacco, and would smokers be happy to comply with a ban on smoking in public places?

Inside Out decided to find out. We asked the University of Newcastle's Medical School to carry out a survey into smoking.

The results suggest that the majority of people would support an overall smoking ban in public places.

Sixty three per cent of North Easterners surveyed were in favour a ban.

An overwhelming majority of 83% agreed with a ban on lighting up in restaurants and cafes.

The main reasons people gave in support of a ban were:

• to improve their own health - 31%
• to improve the health of others - 36%
• to reduce unpleasant smells - 25%
• to prevent environmental damage - 6%

But a third of people in the survey said that they would oppose a ban. Unsurprisingly, the "no" lobby was especially strong from smokers, 56% of whom opposed an overall ban.

The main reasons given were:

• it would be a breach of civil liberties (19%)
• they were active smokers (14%)
• smoking bans would not be enforceable (5%)

The city that never smokes

The North East isn't the first place to consider banning smoking in public places.

Smokers complain that they're being stigmatised

California was one of the first areas to introduce a no smoking policy five years ago. Other American states like Delaware and Maryland have followed.

In March 2003, New York's Mayor introduced a controversial smoking ban in the city's 20,000 bars, clubs and restaurants.

This was despite resistance from bar proprietors and the city's 1.3m smokers.

Bars that flout the ban are liable to fines of $400. Inside Out travelled to New York to investigate whether the smoking ban was having the desired effect in cutting smoking.

The Big Smoke

Reaction to the smoking ban in New York has been mixed. Some businesses claim that trade is down and that smokers are deserting bars in droves.

Others say that that the effect on businesses has been minimal, although smokers are now going out onto the streets to enjoy a smoke.

New York - the city's streets look like ash trays

This has led to problems of noise in residential areas and complaints about the growing heap of cigarette butts outside venues.

There is some evidence that smokers are staying home or indulging in behind-doors smoking sessions in hotel rooms.

It's too soon to assess the full impact of the ban in New York particularly on businesses.

In California, where the ban has been in place much longer, there's evidence that bar sales haven't been affected.

73% of Californians now support the ban as opposed to 65% when it was first introduced.

Smoke and the city

Back in Britain, Inside Out decided to try out a smoking ban for one night at the Magnesia Bank pub in North Shields.

Several regulars turned away when they saw that they couldn't smoke, others stood outside and fumed quietly!

Manager Richard Slade is concerned that a smoking ban would be difficult to police with managers being left to enforce it.

Slade believes that better pub ventilation is the answer to providing clean air and keeping smokers happy.

He's also concerned that irate smoking customers could get aggressive with bar staff.

It's a fear borne out from experiences in New York where a Manhattan bouncer was killed when he tried to enforce the tough new anti-smoking laws.

Fresh air?

More cities and regions in the UK are looking at the idea of smoking bans with the aim of cutting down smoking- related diseases.

Smoke and the city - a thing of the past?

In August 2003 Pizza Hut became the first major UK restaurant chain to ban smoking in all its eating places.

Its goal in snuffing out smoking was to protect its customers and staff from the dangers of passive smoking.

Shopping malls are also increasingly introducing smoking bans without an adverse effect on economic performance.


The Metro Centre in Gateshead banned smoking in January 2004. More malls, bars and restaurants are set to follow.

Giving up the habit

About 13m people in the UK smoke cigarettes, with the biggest increase in recent years being in young women smokers.

One of the best ways of cutting down on smoking in public is to encourage smokers to give up their habit.

Health agencies are keen to push home the "butt out" message.

There are now a huge range of anti-smoking remedies on the market ranging from nicotine patches and herbal cigarettes to nasal sprays and anti-smoking gum.

Alternative therapies such as acupuncture and hypnotherapy have proved effective for some smokers.

Another practical solution is to visit one of the many stop-smoking centres offering advice, practical support and counselling.

Talking to your doctor or pharmacist is one of the best ways of identifying drug treatments that might suit you best.