WARRINGTON has a 99 per cent compliance rate for not smoking in work places and public places across the borough – and the smoking ban is already beginning to pay dividends.
A report in the British Medical Journal shows there was a 2.4 per cent drop in the number of emergency heart attack admissions to hospital in the first 12 months of the ban.
Another, by the London Health Observatory, shows that smoke-free legislation has resulted in around 9,600 fewer bed days for heart attacks at an estimated cost saving of £8.4 million in acute hospital care.
Primary aim of the smoking ban was to protect workers and the general public from exposure to the harmful effects of second hand smoke.
Coun Mike Biggin, the borough council’s executive member for climate change and public protection said: “Since the Smokefree Law came into force three years ago, environmental health officers in Warrington have carried out more than 3,000 inspections of workplaces and public places across the borough and the compliance rates for not smoking in a smokefree place remains consistently high at 99%.”
Smokers who want to quit the habit can call the local stop smoking service for free help and support on 01925 843713.
6 Comments
We have seen the same figures quoted in other towns and counties and the decline in heart attacks is less than before the smoking ban.
It is strange when you consider smoking rates are Up all over the country,yet heart attacks are down,not as much as before the smoking ban it must be said,I think this is more about these anti smoking Quangos trying to sucure more Taxpayer funding in the light of upcoming cuts. The fact is all this anti smoking propaganda has Failed big-time to cut smoking rates and the fact that secondhand smoke danger “claims” are nothing more than a Fraud it is no wonder the Public have seen through the con. The smoking ban must be changed to allow All people choice, smoker and non smoker alike.Bring on the Freedom Bill.
Blackpool are already thinking about overturning the policy due to business failures its main industries, pubs, clubs, bing etc.
and its one of the leading campaigns on the governments new drop unpopular laws website.
people should have choice…smoking and none smoking pubs!
I am sick and tired of hearing this rubbish. Of course there is ‘compliance’. People do not want to face huge fines. That is the sole reason.
There are more people smoking than there was before the ban, so what is the reason behind the supposed drop in heart attacks.
It’s all LIES and the anti smokers are scared that their funding will be cut and so have to produce fabricated figures that the ban is good.
As a non smoker who finds cigarette smoke irritating (makes me cough!) and offensive, the smoking ban has been wonderful – why should smokers be allowed to pollute the atmosphere for others? If the risk of heart attack has genuinely been reduced, then that’s another bonus.
I would be interested to know where Jane obtained the information that more people are smoking than before the ban – is it not a case of them being more visible – ie stood outside pub doorways or workplaces etc?
I for one (and I’m sure I’m not in the minority) do not want to return to the days of eating a meal in a restaurant or enjoying a drink in the pub surrounded by inconsiderate smokers.
I think you’ll find that national smoking levels have reduced considerably in the last 3 years, as they were before the introduction of England’s public smoking ban.
The sooner we see an end to smoking in the Uk, the better. It offers no positives, yet destroys hundreds of lives on a daily basis.