The vast majority of smokers believe the public smoking ban in Ireland was a good idea, a survey has found.

Twelve months since the smoke-free law began, 80 per cent of smokers think it was the right thing to do. Research marking the first anniversary of the ban found 96 per cent of people believed the law was successful, including 89 per cent of smokers. The tns/mrbi survey found 98 per cent of people felt workplaces were healthier since the ban started, including 94 per cent of smokers. Sean Power, junior health minister, said the Irish experience should be a signal to the rest of the world of what can be achieved. "The Irish public's overwhelming acceptance of this historic public health measure sends a very clear message to legislators around the world who are considering the introduction of similar smoke-free workplace legislation," he said. "Not alone is it very possible to implement such legislation but citizens fundamentally accept its validity and necessity in order to protect their health." The research showed compliance levels with the ban were high across all sectors, with a 93 per cent compliance in hotels, 99 per cent in restaurants and 90 per cent in licensed premises. And the minister said the figures were testament to the effective policing and enforcement of the ban. In a One Year Review report due to be published by the Office of Tobacco Control, inspection data from the National Tobacco Control Inspection Programme shows in the first nine months since of the ban, 94 per cent of premises inspected were compliant with the law.

<< Prev	CIGoutlet.NET News Home	Next >>