The Effect Of Britain's Smoking Ban
Author: Paul Buchanan
Research in Britain shows that smoking has been declining for 50 years, with 21% of adults now lighting up, a decrease of one per cent from the year before. This is a stark contrast to 1974 when 45% of adults smoked cigarettes. A record 59% of adults in the United Kingdom have now never taken up the habit.
The use of other tobacco products has declined even more significantly over recent decades as one per cent of British men now smoke pipes compared with 12% in 1974, while the number of Britons smoking cigars has fallen from 34% to 2% during the same timeframe.
It also appears that smoking is slightly more common among British males; around 22% of men smoke compared to 20% per cent of women.
It seems the smoking ban in public spaces and the workplace, combined with government health campaigns, means that fewer people than ever now smoke in Britain, as they are being encouraged in various ways to quit.
In pubs, restaurants and all public enclosed places across the country, smokers have been forced outside if they fancy a puff. The smoking ban came into effect in March 2006 in Scotland, April 2007 in Northern Ireland and Wales and July 2007 in England.
The smoking ban throughout the United Kingdom should hopefully not only improve the health of smokers in the long-term, but also help to protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke.
On average, smokers in England get through 14 cigarettes per day, which totals more than £1,000 every year.
Stubbing out the habit for good not only saves you a considerable amount of money but comes with an accolade of health benefits. Smoking kills half of all lifelong smokers and is responsible for most lung cancers.
Cigarettes contain more than 4,000 chemicals with nicotine being the most addictive, and the reason why many smokers find it hard to stop for good.
Smoking can also cause a heart attack; tobacco contributes to hardening of the heart's arteries, which can then become blocked and starve the heart of blood flow, causing an attack.
Lung problems are one of the most common issues associated with smoking, from lung cancer, which kills thousands of people in the United Kingdom every year, to other complications like emphysema.
Smoking also increases the risk of other cancers such as uterine, liver, kidney, bladder and stomach cancers, as well as leukaemia, not to mention increasing your risk of having a stroke.
If you want to kick the habit once and for all then there are plenty of support mechanisms available via the National Health Service (NHS) to help you along the way.
As well as improving your health and saving you money you may find insurance products are less expensive when you are a non-smoker.
Many providers will give you a lower premium as long as you haven't smoked in the last 12 months. So if you've already given up smoking then it's worth getting a new life insurance quote to see how much money you could save as a result of your new, healthier lifestyle.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/the-effect-of-britain039s-smoking-ban-2187261.html
About the Author
Paul Buchanan writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.
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Smoking ban? Aren’t we in more danger thinking we’ve accomplished something.?
Here in Minnesota we have a new smoking ban. If cigarettes really are bad then why not ban them altogether like the government has banned DDT and lead paint? Just banning smoking in public places does nothing to protect children riding in the cars of smoking parents or carpet layers who work in the homes of smokers. Today’s legislators are taking the easy way out, picking the low-hanging fruit. Then they move on leaving the biggest dangers behind but still patting themselves on the back. Thinking you’ve done something good seems to me more dangerous than doing nothing at all. The last great Democrat, John F Kennedy said, “we do these things not because they are easy but because they are hard.” Outlawing cigarettes will be hard, but clearly in the interest of all of us. Why don’t our elected officials have spines and resolve?
The smoking ban in Scotland came into play ;last March and since the number of smokers (and the amount smokers are smoking per day) has decreased dramatically!! Its been a complete success in my opinion.
Its acted as a incentive to stop smoking, it protects non smokers and it acts as a symbol of how serious the risks of smoking are….
However, how the hell can you outlaw smoking completly??? We live in a free country (as do you folks in the USA). If people want to encourage a slow and painful death then thats they’re business. The previous posters right, where do you stop???
More people in the US die from obesity and its effects than smoking so should we ban fast food, fatty food, foods with adatives etc?
what about guns? They’re pretty bad for your health too?
Is smoking banned in all public places where you live? What are your thoughts on public smoking bans?
I live in Minnesota, and as of October 1st, all public buildings in the state are smoke-free.
i live in Florida so yes, its no smoking here. i cant even smoke in my own apartment. all the hotels here are completely non-smoking, as are apartments, restaurants, bars, and all places of business. as a smoker i have to say it sux for me, i do understand that non-smokers shouldn’t have to be around it, so i understand their point completely. but it seems like they could designate smoking rooms in restaurants, bars etc like in japan, they have great ventilation machines and rooms just for smoking. and also i think it is ridiculous that you cant smoke in your own apartment, i pay alot of money for my apartment and i have a long lease, technically i should be able to smoke in it, maybe just pay a higher deposit like when you have pets, i would be ok with that.
what do you think of statewide smoking ban?
Minnesota has it, and Wisconsin is talking about it.
The most stupid law I know that was recently passed was in St Charles County Missouri. It is illegal to curse or dance on tables in a bar. You could be arrested for swearing in a bar in as families may be there, any parent that has there children in a bar at 1am needs to be punished more than anyone swearing. A ban on Smoking in bars was overturned.
Only smokers don’t see the problem with smoking.
With out looking at all the health issues, it would take all day to list them, there are plenty of social issues. Smoking isn’t just effecting you, yes drinking is just as bad but I usually don’t get covered in urine when out smoke on the other hand is almost unavoidable.
People who smoke smell, they can’t smell it but everyone else can. It you go into a place with smokers you also end up smelling, the worst smell I know is the next day smoke when you’ve been out the night before.
What also gives smokers the right to hurt other people, second hand smoke is just as bad as first hand. If I went into a bar and randomly fired a gun I would be arrested. Smoke in your own home but not where I’m going to be effected.
The person who said that France kicks people out is behind times. France has a ban on Smoking i public places and has done since 2006. In fact most of Europe has a ban on smoking in public places, its not inforced as well in some countries as others but it is in place.
Minnesota Smoking Ban?
In a month my apartment is becoming non-smoking and we have to sign a new lease saying that we will not smoke in or around the apartments (it says specifically we have to smoke on sidewalks). Can they do that? Please, real answers only. Thank you.
Is this a State law? Does it mandate a starting period? Are all apartments covered under this law (which I doubt)? Just because it is acceptable for an apartment building to go non-smoking, this does not give the right to change a current lease. They would need to wait until the current lease expires. This is the first I have heard about living quarters being covered by smoking bans. I would check and possibly with an attorney.
Note: I surfed the web on Minnesota smoking bans and could find only bars and restaurants covered.
Is it wise for Minnesota to ban smoking in….?
your personally owned vehicle?
They want to make it a law, but is it wise when smokers will stop shopping in their state. Smokers are already banned from public places, I know several shoppers who dine through drive throughs instead of restaurants. So they’ve lost revenue already.
Wouldn’t the shopping outweigh the fine? So few smoke in their cars now, & then they have to catch those who will. Slim chance, isn’t it?
C’Mon people, I’m talking about the revenue for the state here.
The tv news this morning didn’t say a word about kids in the car (which I’ve heard before).
They did mention a driver would have to be pulled over for something else first.
Alot of people from Wis. shop Target & Cub Foods in Forest Lake.
Stop reading just the headlines and read the entire story.
1. It is only if you have kids in the car with you, and
2. It would be a secondary offense (meaning they cannot stop you for it, but can give you a ticket if they stop you for something else).
Is it wise? It is a trend other states are going to. Minnesota is not the first state do ban smoking in bars and restaurants, and will not be the last. Initially, it did stop some people from going out, but now that it has been in effect for a while, business is coming back.
As for shopping, it will not effect that much at all. People from out of state coming to Minnesota are going primarily to one place: Mall of America. This will not stop them from doing that.