100 days and counting down to a Smokefree Bristol

Release Date:  20-Mar-2007

From Sunday, 1 July 2007, virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces in Bristol will become smokefree by law. The 100 day countdown to a Smoke-free Bristol will begin this Friday, March 23. Join the Director of Public Health Dr Hugh Annett, Council Leader and Chair of the Bristol Partnership Barbara Janke and representatives from Bristol City Council with their countdown clock on College Green.

Barbara Janke said: "With only 100 days to go we are taking this opportunity to remind businesses that we can help them comply with the law by July 1. The time for action is now."

Bristol has already taken major steps towards becoming a smokefree city. Research has shown that:

• Bristol pubs are ahead of many other cities in preparing for smokefree policies.
• The nine major public sector employers in Bristol have completely smokefree policies.
• The number of employees in non-food businesses regularly or sometimes exposed to secondhand smoke at work had decreased by several thousand.
• Public support for freedom from secondhand smoke remains very strong indeed.
• 2 out of 3 people in Bristol do not smoke and the majority of people surveyed in Bristol’s Neighbourhood Renewal Areas, where smoking is most prevalent, agree that public places should be smokefree.

Dr Hugh Annett, Director of Public Health in Bristol said:"Smokefree public places and workplaces will protect everyone from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke when they are working, socialising and relaxing, and will help those that want to quit smoking by creating more supportive environments."

There is considerable international evidence from countries that have introduced legislation for smokefree public places and workplaces that the impact on the hospitality industry is not detrimental. Analysis and international experience shows that going smokefree can actually be beneficial to the hospitality industry, in particular because three out of four people in England already choose not to smoke and three-quarters of those who do smoke want to give up.

The countdown particularly serves as a reminder to businesses that they need to prepare from now for the enactment of legislation on July 1. Employers, managers and those in charge of smokefree premises and vehicles will need to:

• Display "no smoking" signs in smokefree premises
• Take reasonable steps to ensure that staff and customers are aware that premises and vehicles are legally required to be smokefree
• Ensure that no one smokes in smokefree premises or vehicles.

Businesses may also want to consider taking the following steps to ensure they are ready:

• removing ashtrays from smokefree areas
• developing a smokefree policy in consultation with staff
• providing staff and customers with support to quit smoking
• ensuring that staff and customers know where they can smoke if they choose to.

A clock on the plasma screen in the centre of Broadmead will mark the 100 day countdown to the enforcement of the smokefree legislation.

Broadmead Manager John Hirst said, "Here in Broadmead we are very excited about the progress made recently and eagerly await 1st July. We shall be watching the screen as the countdown continues, and we look forward to Smokefree Broadmead."

Barbara Janke concludes: "I am confident that businesses in Bristol will do everything they can to fully comply with the law by July 1. We will be running a series of seminars for businesses and providing them with advice and support on matters such as their legal requirements, displaying no-smoking signs and how to ensure their smoking shelters comply with planning regulations."

One such seminar will take place on 9th May at Bristol Zoo Gardens. There will be an opportunity for delegates to ask questions and to speak individually to council officers, smoking advice staff and community police. More information about the seminars can be obtained from John Conrad at Bristol City Council, Public Health and Safety Team on 0117 922 33 24 or email: john.conrad@bristol.gov.uk.

Smokefree England has produced information for businesses which is available on www.smokefreeengland.co.uk or on the information line 0800 169 1697.

Information is available locally on the Smokefree Bristol website at www.smokefreebristol.org or by emailing queries to smokefree@bristol.gov.uk

Additional information:

In Ireland, the smokefree law was voted the no.1 "high" of 2004 by the RTE national New Year’s Poll. Those in favour of smokefree pubs and restaurants grew from 67% before the legislation was introduced to 82% after it was fully implemented and was almost universal by the one year anniversary of the legislation:

• 93% thought the law was a good idea, including 80% of smokers
• 96% of people felt the law was successful, including 89% of smokers
• 98% believed that workplaces are now healthier because of the smoke-free law, including 94% of smokers

Background to Smoke-free Bristol & The Bristol Partnership

The Smoke-free Bristol initiative is a 5-year local action plan to protect people living and working in the city from the harmful effects of second hand smoke.

Smoke-free Bristol is an initiative of the Bristol Partnership.

The Bristol Partnership is a strategic body that brings together key public agencies, businesses and the independent sector. For more information about the Bristol Partnership and its work to deliver the 20 year vision for Bristol visit www.bristolpartnership.org.

In January 2005 the Bristol Partnership signed a smoke-free charter committing them to working towards a smokefree city. This states: "We recognise that smoking is the number-one cause of preventable death in Bristol and across the United Kingdom.

"We cannot tolerate the terrible toll of death, illness and misery that smoking causes to the people of Bristol. We promise to do all we can to bring it to an end."

The partnership is determined to:

• Educate and inform local people about the dangers of smoking and secondhand smoke
• To encourage more businesses to go smoke free
• Reduce smoking prevalence in our area
• Support the enforcement of the law on advertising tobacco products
• Reduce under age sales of tobacco products to children
• Encourage and support smokers who want to give up and to promote
• local support to stop services

Groups that are vulnerable to secondhand smoke:

• Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at a higher risk of pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma and middle ear disease (WHO International Consultation on Second Hand Smoke and Child Health)
• Non-smokers who are exposed to cigarette smoke at work have double the risk of developing adult asthma when compared to those who work in smokefree environments (Jaakkola et al American Journal of Public Health 2003)
• Asthma UK estimated in 2004 that there were 5.2 million people suffering from asthma in the UK, 1.1 million were children (Asthma UK)
• 80 per cent of people who suffer from asthma say that cigarette smoke triggers or worsens their attacks (Asthma UK survey)
• The British Heart Foundation combined data from different studies to show that there are 1.84 million people (just under 2 million) people suffering from angina in the UK (Source BHF)
• The British Heart Foundation estimates that 1. 273 million people living in Britain have had a heart attack (source- BHF)
• An estimated 360 000 people living in the UK have had a stroke previously (extrapolated from ONS stats)
• There were an estimated 750 000 pregnant women in England and Wales in 2000 and the number is unlikely to have changed greatly (ONS)

See the ASH site for details of the effects on health of secondhand smoke: www.ash.org.uk

Key Facts about Bristol

• Surveys in Bristol show that over 80% of respondents are bothered by secondhand smoke and would prefer it if indoor public places were smoke free
• In 2005 in Bristol there were over 10,000 workers exposed to secondhand smoke in their workplace
• The percentage of Bristol households that are smoky is well over 30%, which significantly damages the health of children living in smoky rooms
• The percentage of Bristol adults who smoke is higher than the average for England. Lung cancer death rates in the south and west of Bristol are 35% higher than the average for the former Avon county

Author:  Louise Hudson - 0117 922 3463 

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