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Smoking in Public Places
A Consultation on Reducing Exposure to Second Hand Smoke
Report of a Youth Consultation

PART 3
WHAT DID THEY SAY?

This section provides a more detailed of view of the feedback collected from young people in response to the consultation. In keeping with the other sections of the report, it is split into sub-sections explaining the feedback from each of the local authority areas, and their in-depth consultations with young people.

National Level

At national level there was a questionnaire on the Young Scot: Loud + Clear! section of the Young Scot website, which produced 356 completed surveys from young people. The online votes which ran on the Young Scot website also generated 414 responses from young people. Therefore the national level activity of the consultation received 770 responses from young people. This section details the feedback and responses from the young people.

The following section is a breakdown of the responses from young people to the questions posed in the online questionnaire:

Do you think further action needs to be taken to reduce people's exposure to second-hand smoke?

81% answered "Yes"
7% answered "No"
10% answered "Don't Know"
(Note: approximately 2% did not respond)

The comments from young people on this question were largely in favour of further action, with a range of comments being made regarding negative affects on health, unpleasant smell of smoke, and the need for a ban (please see examples below).

" People should not have to be subjected to the harmful effects of passive smoking - if people want to smoke that is their decision, but no one else should have to suffer from the harmful effects that are linked with smoking."

"Smoking in public places should be banned, as it affects people of all ages."

Would you support a new law that would make public places smoke-free?

64% answered "Yes"
15% answered "No"
6% answered "Don't Know"
(Note: approximately 15% did not respond)

In general the young people who responded appear to be in favour of a new law banning smoking in public places. Comments on this question were generally in favour of the law, but some comments did point to potential problems with introducing it (please see examples below).

"If it improves the health of the nation I am all for it. Hopefully it will free up NHS resources and waiting lists will be cut."

"I would be 100% behind it in principle and as good practice. Although I think there should be the option for pubs/restaurants to allow smoking but they should put a sign up to denote that this is the case. Therefore people know what to expect."

"If smoking is banned I think it will cause a lot of problems, particularly with loitering in the streets, especially outside pubs/bars/nightclubs, which I believe that due to alcohol and having to smoke outside will cause even more violence."

"Only to a certain extent. Banning people from smoking at all in public places, especially workplaces may lead to them smoking more at home putting children more at risk."

If a law was introduced, do you think there should be some places where smoking should be allowed?

68% answered "Yes"
21% answered "No"
10% answered "Don't Know"
(Note: approximately 1% did not respond)

The majority of respondents believed that there should be somewhere for people to smoke, with comments focusing on the rights of smokers and the possibility of licensing some pubs to cater for smoking (please see examples below).

"Smoking is a personal choice and people who smoke still should be allowed in certain places, smoking is addictive and can be very hard to give up so we shouldn't totally forget about the people who smoke."

"I think they should have special pubs etc which allow smoking, a place where everybody who smokes can go."

If a law wasn't introduced, what more could be done to encourage businesses to become smoke-free or to provide smoke-free areas?

Young people had a number of suggestions, with three common themes emerging: providing more information for businesses and employees; incentive schemes to encourage businesses; and fines to enforce a new law (please see examples below).

"Make businesses more aware of the health hazards of smoking, not enough is being done to make people aware of the dangers."

"Keep telling people how dangerous smoking is. Talk to people at a young age so as they grow older they will understand the dangers."

"Rewards from the government for businesses who take the non-smoking policy up."

"Increase business tax by 1% then offer a 1% reduction to companies that ban smoking or provide suitable smoking rooms."

"If nothing is done fine them. The money would go to the NHS to pay for the operations performed because of smoking."

What else do you think can be done to reduce second-hand smoke?

Young people made a range of comments in response to this question, with many focusing on the need to ban smoking near children, and advocating the possibility of increasing the cost of cigarettes to discourage smokers (please see examples below).

"I think there should be measures governing smoking near children - even in private - but this would be a tricky one!"

"Stop all smoking in public places, make cigarettes more expensive to discourage smokers, provide more support for people quitting smoking."

"Information is probably the only way (except laws). Second-hand smoke is best reduced by reducing the number of smokers, so lower prices on products that help you stop smoking and better control of under-age persons buying tobacco might be a start."

Please tell us what else you think about smoking in public places…

Young people made a range of comments, overwhelmingly in support of banning smoking in public places, with a number people calling for a total smoking ban. Other comments included the need to enforce a new law, and warning of potential problems (please see examples below).

"Non-smokers should not have to put up with people smoking around them who are endangering themselves and those around them."

"I think on transport or in confined spaces it should be banned. However there should be more help and support for people wanting to give up smoking, and educate young people not to start in the first place."

"I would prefer to see a total ban. I don't like smoking areas and think providing smoking rooms would expose smokers to higher levels of harmful smoke."

"I think if such a law (no smoking in public places) was introduced then people should be fined and upon their third time getting caught should be jailed for a maximum of 3 years."

"I don't think there should be a ban on smoking in public places outright to avoid concentrating their habit in one place, for example at home, which would make passive smoking worse for any possible family."

As mentioned previously, there were 3 votes run on the Young Scot website as part of the consultation, generating the following response:

The Irish ban smoking in workplaces - should Scotland follow their lead?

(ran on the front page of the Young Scot website between 29 ^th-30 ^th March 2004)

Response:

Should smoking be banned in public places?

(ran on the front page of the Young Scot website between 15 ^th-26 ^th June 2004)

Response:

Should smoking in public places (e.g. workplaces, public transport) be banned?

(ran on the Young Scot: Loud + Clear! pages of the website between 1 ^st July - 30 ^th September 2004)

Response:

The votes cast by young people on the national pages of the Young Scot website show that most young people are in favour of banning smoking in public places.

Local Level

As already mentioned, the local consultation activity was implemented using a wide range of online and offline methods to ensure that it involved as many young people as possible in the consultation. As a result, a range of responses and feedback were collected which all provide valuable input to the consultation but are not necessarily easy to correlate. The following section describes 'what was said' by young people who took part in the consultation in the four local authority areas participating in the consultation.

Dundee

The single, online vote, which ran on the Dundee homepage for four weeks, is a good reflection of the general opinion of the young people who took part in the survey in the Dundee area. The question (please see below), generated the following response.

Should smoking in public places (e.g. workplaces, public transport) be banned?

These results show that 89% of young people in Dundee would favour a ban of some sort. Many young people mentioned the health concerns linked with smoking, how it made their clothes and hair smell and how being around smoke affected conditions such as asthma. "It's horrible" and "disgusting" were common statements. Many felt that more support should be in place to help smokers quit and recognised the fact that smoking is an addiction.

There was a questionnaire on the Young Scot: Loud + Clear! section of the Dundee local pages of the Young Scot website. As mentioned earlier, this questionnaire was also delivered offline in a range of venues and events. This section details the feedback and responses from the young people (Please see Appendix E).

Do you think further action needs to be taken to reduce people's exposure to second-hand smoke?

73% answered "Yes"
9% answered "No"
13% answered "Don't Know"
(Note: approximately 5% did not respond)

The comments from young people on this question were hugely in favour of further action, with a range of comments being made mostly regarding the negative impact on health, and the smell of smoke (please see examples below).

" I think that further action needs to be taken because some bars and restaurants have non-smoking areas but the smoke still travels to the non-smoking areas and the whole bar/restaurant smells of it.."

"I think that people should not smoke in public places due to passive smoking and can be a danger to other people's health."

Would you support a new law that would make public places smoke-free?

71% answered "Yes"
13% answered "No"
10% answered "Don't Know"
(Note: approximately 6% did not respond)

The young people who responded were generally in favour of a new law banning smoking in public places. Comments on this question were generally in favour of the law, many supporting banning smoking altogether whilst other would have smoking areas(please see examples below).

"I would like most of Dundee smoke free but would have some places for the smokers and try to make them stop so Dundee is smoke free."

"There should definitely be smoke-free public places, but I believe it is important to implement any such policies in a way which is respectful to the viewpoints of smokers and non-smokers alike."

"I want to ban it altogether."

If a law was introduced, do you think there should be some places where smoking should be allowed?

64% answered "Yes"
20% answered "No"
7% answered "Don't Know"
(Note: approximately 9% did not respond)

The vast majority of respondents believed that there should be somewhere for people to smoke, with many comments highlighting the rights of smokers and the need for good ventilation (please see examples below).

"I feel that some bars should be allowed to be smoking areas, but I feel that this should be limited so people can choose whether to go to a smoking bar or a non-smoking bar. I feel this can be done by bars having to apply for licences for smoking."

"I think there should be certain places where smokers are separated from non-smokers."

"They should be allowed in places with air extractors."

If a law wasn't introduced, what more could be done to encourage businesses to become smoke-free or to provide smoke-free areas?

Young people had a number of suggestions in response to this question, including providing more information for businesses and employees, incentive schemes to encourage businesses, and raising the age limit to buy cigarettes (please see examples below).

"The government should provide grants to businesses to help them set up no smoking areas."

"Make an older age law."

"Make more adverts and signs to let people know the dangers of smoking."

"Make a law to ensure extractor fans must be on in smoking areas and into the no smoking areas."

What else do you think can be done to reduce second-hand smoke?

Young people made a range of comments, including more information and high profile campaigns to encourage people to stop smoking (please see examples below).

"More education at school about it."

"More adverts, information that will hit people and make them take this on board. Classes to help smokers give up. Make places all smoke free and difficult for people to smoke in places that aren't outside."

"When banned in public places, fines should be introduced to discourage smokers. If smokers were given real evidence of the danger to others such as their children the message will certainly get through."

"Maybe a national celebrity campaign with idols for young people talking about the dangers of smoking, also with regards to kissing no one wants to kiss an ashtray. Also how it will affect things pertinent to youth - skin, sperm count, fertility."

Please tell us what else you think about smoking in public places…

Young people made a range of comments, largely in support of banning smoking in public places with some very strong comments, but there are also a number of comments which are sympathetic to people who do smoke. Other comments relate to the mess left by cigarette ends in public places (please see examples below).

"Smoking in public places is ignorant. If smokers want to damage their own health, that's fine, but its not right that they should be allowed to potentially damage other people's health without their consent."

"It is not ideal but it will take a lot more than one law to change things."

"It makes Dundee look a mess with all the cig stubs lying around."

"I think it is disgusting because there are cigarette ends everywhere, on buses, on streets, and I think it is horrible so stop it."

Highland

As mentioned earlier in the report, Highland Dialogue Youth amended the questionnaire and had surveys completed by young people in a leaflet format. The survey was completed in schools and at events, producing 363 completed surveys from young people. This section details the feedback and responses from the young people.

Do you think further action needs to be taken to reduce people's exposure to second-hand smoke?

77% answered "Yes"
17% answered "No"
0% answered "Don't Know"
(Note: approximately 6% did not respond)

Respondents were massively in favour of further action and comments focused on the negative affect of passive smoking (please see examples below).

"With the high numbers of lung cancer sufferers in the country I think it would be ridiculous not to act against second hand smoke."

"It is bad for others. People who don't smoke shouldn't have to put up with the consequences of passive smoking."

Has passive smoking ever affected you?

33% answered "Yes"
39% answered "No"
(Note: approximately 28% did not respond)

A great deal of respondents did not answer this question, but those who did offered a number of comments, again focusing on the impact on health and unpleasant smells (please see examples below).

"I'm asthmatic and it affects me all the time."

"Not yet but it makes my clothes smell if someone is smoking."

Would you support a new law that would make public places smoke-free?

53% answered "Yes"
21% answered "No"
21% answered "Don't Know"
(Note: approximately 5% did not respond)

There was quite a split of opinion on this question in comparison to the results in other areas, though the majority of respondents were in favour of a ban and comments focused on the health impacts. There were also a number of comments against a ban, focusing on the right of people to smoke (please see examples below).

"Such a law has been introduced in Ireland and is working well, so I would definitely like to see one here."

"I have the right to go into a public place without breathing in other people's smoke!!!"

"It is people's right to smoke if they wish to as long as it's not in direction towards children."

"I think this is too harsh, we live in democracy where people have rights. There should be stricter subdivisions of premises into smoking and non-smoking instead."

If a law was introduced, do you think there should be some places where smoking should be allowed?

66% answered "Yes"
19% answered "No"
10% answered "Don't Know"
(Note: approximately 5% did not respond)

The vast majority of respondents were in favour of having places where smoking is allowed, with comments highlighting the need to cater for those addicted to smoking (please see examples below).

"I don't think suddenly putting too much pressure on a smoker would create a very positive effect."

"I think it would make sense if there were some places where smoking was allowed: as long as people have the choice to go to a non-smoking place."

If a law wasn't introduced, what more could be done to encourage businesses to become more smoke-free?

Young people had a number of suggestions, which were generally similar to the comments in the national results - providing more information for businesses and employees, incentive schemes to encourage businesses, and fines to enforce a new law (please see examples below).

" They could reward companies that have a no smoking policy"

"Penalties and fines should be given out if the law is not obeyed."

What else do you think can be done to reduce second-hand smoke?

Young people made a range of comments, with many focusing on increasing the cost of cigarettes to discourage smokers, and providing separate areas for people to smoke in (please see examples below).

"Put cigarette prices up"

"Give people who smoke a place to smoke in."

"If there wasn't a ban on smoking made regulations should then be improved on things like ventilation."

Please tell us what else you think about smoking in public places…

Young people made a range of comments, mostly in support of banning smoking in public places. Other comments included the need to enforce a new law, and warning of potential problems (please see examples below).

"Smoking should be banned altogether as it is disgusting, prices should be raised to 10 for a small pack."

"I think it is wrong if people want to smoke they should in there own house not in public places."

North Ayrshire

North Ayrshire Dialogue Youth collected 582 responses from young people through the postcard ballot. The postcard posed the simple question, Where do you think smoking should be banned? , and generated the following response.

The table shows that young people in North Ayrshire are split on the issue of smoking in public places, with almost a quarter of young people believing there should not be a ban. However, over two thirds of respondents were in favour of either a ban in all indoor places, or a ban in workplaces, restaurants, malls and bars.

Dumfries and Galloway

In general the view of young people in Dumfries and Galloway, expressed through the postcards and focus groups, was that there should be a smoking ban in public places.

The age group between 12 and 15 years old was most of the view that there should be a ban in public places. The young people who did not want a ban were ones that said it didn't bother them either way.

The age group between 16 and 18 years were quite varied, there was almost an equal amount who wanted a ban and who didn't however the majority wanted a ban in some public places but not everywhere.

A lot of young people are more than aware of the health implications of second hand smoke and feel, smokers included, that they no longer want their health needs to suffer. There were many suggestions of designated areas for smokers and non-smokers, although young people have said some businesses already operate this scheme and they do not feel a small partition is good enough. They were suggestions of separate rooms or even separate places for smokers and non-smokers. With this argument though many felt that smokers were being discriminated against as it would mean singling them out and after all smoking is an addiction for many people.

Other suggestions included more support from the Government, such as grants to businesses to encourage them to go smoke free and also more support given to smokers from the NHS to help people get over their addiction to tobacco. Over 350 young people who responded felt smoking should be treated in the same way as drugs such as heroin, as it is just another addiction.

A big argument from the 16 - 18 yr olds consulted was that smoking should be banned in restaurants, however they were unsure of whether a ban should be enforced in places such as pubs and clubs. Their arguments for this was risks of drinks being spiked if people had to go outside to smoke or even people being effected by the Anti Social Behaviour Act if they are loitering outside a pub or club smoking.

The comments below are an example of those gathered from young people who took part in Focus Groups across the region.

" Put a ban on smoking, I hate it" - Kathryn, 14, Stranraer

"Smoking in public places is fine by me" - Graham, 17, Dumfries

"I don't mind it really" - Jade, 12, Dalbeattie

"There should be more places for people to smoke" - Ann, 18, Kirkconnel

"The Government should offer more support if they want a ban" - Kerry, 15, Moffat

"Smoking smells really bad" - Joanna, 13, Dumfries

"Passive smoking kills people" - John, 13, Stranraer

There were 171 offline questionnaires completed in Dumfries and Galloway. This section details the feedback and responses from the young people.

Do you think further action needs to be taken to reduce people's exposure to second-hand smoke?

67% answered "Yes"
17% answered "No"
16% answered "Don't Know"

The comments from young people on this question were in favour of further action, with a range of comments being made mostly regarding the negative impact on health (please see examples below).

"Don't think it's fair that people have to suffer with other folks smoke."

"More should be done."

Would you support a new law that would make public places smoke-free?

49% answered "Yes"
33% answered "No"
17% answered "Don't Know"
(Note: approximately 1% did not respond)

The response of young people was quite split on whether there should be a new law banning smoking in public places. Comments on this question were generally in favour of the law (please see examples below).

"I definitely think a new law banning smoking in public places should be enforced and put in place as soon as possible."

"Have separate areas because it is unfair if it is all non-smoking."

If a law was introduced, do you think there should be some places where smoking should be allowed?

75% answered "Yes"
15% answered "No"
6% answered "Don't Know"
(Note: approximately 4% did not respond)

The vast majority of respondents believed that there should be somewhere for people to smoke, with many comments highlighting the rights of smokers and the need for good ventilation (please see examples below).

"There are too many people addicted so they will have to go somewhere, if they are stopped, there will be riots."

If a law wasn't introduced, what more could be done to encourage businesses to become smoke-free or to provide smoke-free areas?

Young people had a number of suggestions in response to this question, including: passing law to force businesses to comply; and incentive schemes to encourage businesses (please see examples below).

"If it was a law then businesses don't have a choice."

"Incentives from the government."

What else do you think can be done to reduce second-hand smoke?

Young people made a range of comments, including raising the price of cigarettes and banning cigarettes altogether (please see examples below).

"Put up prices, 10 4.00, 20 8.00."

"Ban cigarettes."

Please tell us what else you think about smoking in public places…

Young people made a range of comments, largely in support of banning smoking in public places with some very strong comments, but there are also a number of comments which are sympathetic to people who do smoke. Other comments relate to the unpleasant smell of cigarette smoke and (please see examples below).

"As a non-smoker I find it unpleasant but because there is such a high percentage of the population who smoke it would be difficult to ban it in public places."

"I think there should be separate bars for smokers, the non-smokers have the choice whether they want to risk their health. But personally I think smoking should be banned in ALL public places."

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