Experience in other countries
Several countries were ahead of the UK in introducing smokefree measures to protect workers and customers from secondhand smoke. English smokefree legislation came into effect on 1 July 2007.
Ireland | Scotland | Australia | Italy
Canada | Netherlands | Norway
Ireland
Ireland became the first country in Europe to make the workplace smokefree from March 2004. The Irish legislation makes it an offence to smoke in workplaces, which means that pubs and restaurants have clean air. Despite initial concerns that Ireland's famed pub culture would be hit by the change, compliance in pubs and restaurants has been excellent with only 20 prosecutions in the first year. Sales of cigarettes have fallen, which will mean long term health benefits to people in Ireland. The number of homes that are smokefree has increased, laying to rest any fears that home exposure for children could rise when pub smoking is banned.
Scotland
Scotland went smokefree in March 2006. Smoking continues to cause proportionally more deaths in Scotland than in England and Wales. The results of a long term study by an Oxford academic concluded that smoking claimed 680,000 lives in Scotland over the past 50 years - this is more than the combined population of Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
Australia
All airports, government offices, health clinics and general workplaces in Australia are smokefree. Restaurants and shopping centres in most states and territories also have clean air. The legislation has been extended to pubs and restaurants in Australia, in a bid to protect bartenders from inhaling cigarette smoke.
Italy
Italy became smokefree for all enclosed public places including bars and restaurants in January 2005. The new rules allow smoking in special sealed-off areas fitted with smoke extractors. Tobacconists reported a 20% fall in cigarette sales in the weeks immediately after the change.
Canada
Canada has some of the lowest smoking levels in the world. This has been achieved through tough smokefree measures, including a ban on workplace smoking and in some public places.
The Netherlands
In 2004, the Netherlands introduced smokefree measures in many public places including railway stations, trains, toilets and offices.
Norway
Restaurants, bars and cafes became smokefree in Norway from 1 June 2004. Tobacco advertising has been prohibited in Norway for 30 years and a packet of cigarettes costs about £6.