Public Servant Lifestyle

Britain’s workers say their right to a smoke-free working environment far outweighs the right of people to smoke.

The six to one ratio in favour of this basic right is revealed in a new survey for anti-tobacco campaign pressure group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).

Key Findings

1: 11% - or one in nine employees – work in places where smoking is freely allowed in all areas – equivalent to three million workers.

2: Of those in work, 36% smoke and 64% are non-smokers.

3: Only four in 10 (40%) workers benefit from a complete ban on the premises.

4: A further 42% work where smoking is allowed in designated areas.

5: Of those that expressed an opinion, 85% agree – the majority 'strongly' - that the right to a smoke-free workplace far outweighs the right to smoke during work hours.

6: Respondents in social grade D are more likely than the national average to work in an environment where smoking is freely allowed in all areas. Men are more than twice as likely as women to work somewhere where smoking was allowed throughout.

7: By contrast, respondents in social grades ABC1 are more likely than the national average to work in an environment where smoking is completely banned on the premises. Smoking is nearly 10% more likely to be completely banned on the premises in the south (London, English south east/south west) than the north (Yorkshire/Humberside/English north west, north and Scotland).

8: Workers in education, and the NHS, are most likely to work where smoking was banned, whilst those in the construction and pub/bar/restaurant/hotel/catering sectors were most likely to be exposed to passive smoke while at work.

9: More than twice as many people smoke (65%) who work where smoking is freely allowed in all areas compared to only 27% of people smoking who work in an environment where smoking is completely banned on the premises.

10: More women (76%) than men (66%) agree that the right to a smoke free environment outweighs the right to smoke during work hours.

Smoke-free workplaces, says a separate study, not only protect non-smokers from the dangers of passive smoking, they also encourage smokers to quit or to reduce consumption.

In a separate study, researchers in the USA reviewed 26 studies on the effects of smoke-free workplaces. Totally smoke-free workplaces were associated with reductions in prevalence of smoking of nearly 4%. The combined effects of people stopping smoking and reducing consumption reduces total cigarette consumption by 29%.

To achieve similar results through taxation would require an increase in the price of cigarettes of 73%, say the authors. Such an increase would require cigarette taxes per pack to increase from $0.76 to $3.05 in the United States and from £3.44 to £6.59 in the United Kingdom.

If all workplaces became smoke-free, per capita cigarette consumption would drop by 4.5% in the United States and 7.6% in the United Kingdom, costing the tobacco industry $1.7 billion and £310 million annually in lost sales, they add. To achieve similar reductions, tax per pack would have to increase to $1.11 and £4.26.

While producing benefits for non-smokers by eliminating passive smoking, smoke-free workplaces also make it easier for smokers to reduce or stop smoking, and substantially reduce tobacco industry sales, say the authors. This loss in revenues explains why the industry fights so hard against legislation to ensure that workplaces become smoke-free, they conclude.Smoke-free workplaces, says a new study, not only protect non-smokers from the dangers of passive smoking, they also encourage smokers to quit or to reduce consumption.

Researchers in the USA reviewed 26 studies on the effects of smoke-free workplaces. Totally smoke-free workplaces were associated with reductions in prevalence of smoking of nearly 4%. The combined effects of people stopping smoking and reducing consumption reduces total cigarette consumption by 29%.

To achieve similar results through taxation would require an increase in the price of cigarettes of 73%, say the authors. Such an increase would require cigarette taxes per pack to increase from $0.76 to $3.05 in the United States and from £3.44 to £6.59 in the United Kingdom.

If all workplaces became smoke-free, per capita cigarette consumption would drop by 4.5% in the United States and 7.6% in the United Kingdom, costing the tobacco industry $1.7 billion and £310 million annually in lost sales, they add. To achieve similar reductions, tax per pack would have to increase to $1.11 and £4.26.

While producing benefits for non-smokers by eliminating passive smoking, smoke-free workplaces also make it easier for smokers to reduce or stop smoking, and substantially reduce tobacco industry sales, say the authors. This loss in revenues explains why the industry fights so hard against legislation to ensure that workplaces become smoke-free, they conclude.

More information available in Living Space, Work Environment