News Archive Liverpool people support smokefree law
Liverpool people support smokefree law
January 11, 2005 - PRESS RELEASE
The vast majority of Liverpool people recognise the dangers of second-hand smoke and would support a law to make workplaces smoke-free, according to a major survey published today.
Commissioned by Smokefree Liverpool and carried out by interviewing 865 residents, the survey also shows that residents would not be put off using pubs and restaurants if they became smokefree.
Some of the key findings from the survey are:
The vast majority think that a wide range of people should never be exposed to second-hand smoke - 95 per cent and 90 per cent, respectively, said that babies and children should never be exposed. For pregnant women the figure was 88 per cent; people with asthma 89 per cent; people with heart problems 86 per cent; employees 63 per cent; customers 65 per cent.
Most smokers also think that babies, children, pregnant women and people with asthma or heart disease should never be exposed to second-hand smoke.
56 per cent of residents think that second-hand smoke has a serious effect on people's health - and another 19 per cent think it has a moderate effect;
The survey shows strong support for a law to make a range of places totally smokefree indoors. Liverpool City Council is currently pursuing its own Bill which would give it legal powers to impose a 100% workplace restriction on smoking.
For shops, 74 per cent support and 8 per cent oppose a smokefree law. For other workplaces, the figures are: offices (73 per cent support, 9 per cent oppose), factories (71 per cent:10 per cent), restaurants (71 per cent:14 per cent), pubs (52 per cent: 28 per cent), schools (86 per cent: 5 per cent ), hospitals (91 per cent:4 per cent).
Most smokers support a law to make most workplaces smokefree. It is only in relation to pubs and nightclubs that opposition to a smokefree law outweighs support among smokers.
Although support for a smokefree law is lowest and opposition highest (52 per cent: 28 per cent) for pubs, 84 per of cent of residents (including 68 per cent of smokers) agree or strongly agree that "all employees have the right to work in a smoke-free environment", compared to just 4 per cent who disagree or strongly disagree.
When reminded that "workplaces" include pubs and restaurants, 71 per cent of residents (including 45 per cent of smokers) said they would support or strongly support a law to make all enclosed workplaces smokefree. 13 per cent (including about one-third of smokers) oppose or strongly oppose such a law.
Residents would not be put off using pubs and restaurants in Liverpool if the city was smokefree.
Most said they would continue using them whether they were smokefree or not. 17 and 14 per cent of residents say they would use restaurants and pubs, respectively, "a lot more" if they were smoke-free compared to 5 per cent and 6 per cent who say they would use restaurants and pubs "a lot less" in future.
Three-quarters of smokers say that if pubs and restaurants were smokefree, it would make no difference to their use of them or that they would use them more.
If Liverpool was smokefree, residents would enjoy living in the city more than they do now - 39 per cent said they would enjoy living in Liverpool more (23 per cent "a lot more") if all enclosed public places were smokefree, compared to 10 per cent who would enjoy living in the city less.
Andy Hull, Chair of Smokefree Liverpool, said: "We welcome this survey, which provides valuable evidence that shows public support for our campaign. At the same time, the survey provides Smokefree Liverpool with a robust baseline of smoking rates and of residents' views about smoking-related issues that can be used to measure changes."
Other findings from the survey include:
- 34 per cent of Liverpool residents over 16 smoke.
- People in paid employment are less likely to smoke than those who are not - 30 per cent of respondents in paid employment were smokers compared to 58 per cent of unemployed respondents and 40 per cent of those who stated that they "look after the family".
- 14 per cent of smokers intend to give up in the next year, though 58 per cent think that they are unlikely to give up.
- Smoking prevalence is higher in Central and North Liverpool PCT areas than in South Liverpool PCT areas - estimated prevalence rates are 38 per cent, 37 per cent and 25 per cent respectively.
- 55 per cent of employed Liverpool residents work in smokefree workplaces.
- 56 per cent of residents think that second-hand smoke has a serious effect on people's health - a further 19 per cent think it has a moderate effect.
- 11 per cent of residents do not know whether second-hand smoke has health effects and 13 per cent think it has a mild effect or no effect on people's health.
