This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Smoking ban research findings published
13/12/2004
The full research and consultation findings used by the
Executive to inform their decision on smoking in public
places were published today.
At a conference in Edinburgh, Deputy Health Minister
Rhona Brankin said:
"Smoking is the single biggest cause of preventable
illness and premature death in Scotland. Fact.
"As a result, 35 Scots die every day and thousands more
live with the pain and misery of smoking-related
disease.
"I hardly need say it but this can't go on, and we are
taking comprehensive action to ensure that it doesn't.
"As part of that action we have also looked at passive
smoking.
"No-one likes second-hand smoke but this is big
contributory factor to ill-health and reducing smoking in
public places will be a big improvement.
"This year we carried out a wide-ranging consultation on
the issue. The response was unprecedented and overwhelming
- almost 54,000 responses, a clear majority of which were
in favour of legislation.
"Alongside the public consultation we commissioned
several pieces of research into the impact of passive
smoking in Scotland, including the potential impact of
banning or restricting smoking in enclosed public
places.
"From today all these reports can be accessed on the
Scottish Executive's website.
"We want to be as open and transparent as possible on
this issue. The evidence supports the decision that's been
taken, and we know that the measure has significant public
support.
"Research has shown that the potential health gain from
a ban is enormous. For example, smoking rates in New York
fell by two per cent within a year of a ban being
introduced and in Ireland, 7000 people are thought to have
quit in the first six months of their ban.
"This is also no evidence to support claims of imminent
economic meltdown. Indeed, most of the evidence points the
other way that this will be bring benefits.
"But we understand the concerns of the licensed trade,
and we want to work with them on this. The research shows
us that smokers can and do adjust, smoking uptake falls and
that it does not drive smoking into the home.
"Legislation for a wide ranging smoke-free Scotland will
be published shortly and we hope that the planned
regulations can come be implemented in 2006, giving
businesses time to adapt and prepare."
"We are convinced that this legislation will improve the
future health and well being of children and families in
Scotland for generations to come. It will be nothing short
of a transformation. "
Smoking kills an average of 13,000 Scots every
year and is responsible for thousands more hospitals
admissions.
In 2002, it was thought that around 1.15 million people
(aged 16 and over) smoked - just over 28 per cent of the
population. It is estimated that at least 20-25 per cent of
all deaths in Scotland result from smoking. Scotland has
the highest rates of lung cancer in Europe for both men and
women, with most cases caused by smoking.