Help Sitemap Home Skip Navigation Contact Us Disability Statement


230,000 smokers kick habit south of border in first year of public ban

Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image

Published Date: 29 June 2008
By Robert Dex
ALMOST a quarter of a million people have stopped smoking since the ban on lighting up in public places in England was introduced, according to an official report to be published this week.
A total of 234,060 people have stopped smoking with the help of the NHS Quit Smoking Service since the ban was brought in on July 1, 2007. That is 22% more people than in the previous 12 months. The Department of Health report on the smoke-free legis
lation will be published on the first anniversary of the smoking ban. It also states the ban has cut pollution levels in bars and restaurants by 91%.

Fears that the ban would not be enforced have proved groundless with 98% of locations inspected complying with the legislation and 76% of the population saying they back the law.

In the foreword to the report, Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson writes: "The significance of the smoke-free laws cannot be underestimated. A significant reduction in second-hand smoke with its damaging health effects has been achieved. We expect many lives have been saved. Everyone has the right to enjoy the benefits of a cleaner, healthier environment."

Amanda Sandford, research manager at the campaigning charity Action on Smoking and Health, said the ban had been a resounding success. She said: "There are so many benefits from the legislation. For example, we have seen a decline in the number of people being admitted to hospital with heart disease and there has been a 76% reduction in the nicotine levels of bar workers."





Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 28 June 2008 8:00 PM
  • Source: Scotland On Sunday
  • Location: Scotland
  • Related Topics: Tobacco
 
1

Belinda-2,

29/06/2008 01:40:37
'600,000 of Britain's 10 million smokers will give up as a result of the ban, the government believes' – Guardian, 1 July 2007. Another missed target.
2

weeshooie1,

Wollongong 29/06/2008 02:06:49
Belinda-2,

Still, it's a start.
3

Charles Linskaill,

Edinburgh 29/06/2008 02:10:06

More,..'Political Hype' in 'Non-Truths'!

Dont believe a,.. 'Word of It'!
4

Riverkidca,

Swan River 29/06/2008 05:04:43
How many have relapsed?
5

DeniseX,

29/06/2008 13:11:25
'76% back the ban'. About 76% are non smokers.
6

Charles Linskaill,

Edinburgh 29/06/2008 17:26:34

DeniseX ~5,

More like 76% are,..'Government Agents'!
7

David from New Mills,

Pleasantville, U.K. 30/06/2008 12:01:31
#5,Deni seX.
Majority rule O.K.!
8

David from New Mills,

Pleasantville, U.K. 30/06/2008 12:03:15
#1, Belinda-2.
Even one person less, puffing smoke in my face, is a gain.
9

DeniseX,

30/06/2008 19:04:06
#7 David. Tell that to gays, Muslims and other minority groups.
10

David from New Mills,

Fug free Pleasantville. 30/06/2008 19:43:03
#9,Deni seX.
If Deni feels disenfranchised because he falls into one of these categories, he's welcome to join the rag tag and bobtail list of candidates opposing David Davies in his imminent by-election. Perhaps he'll fare better than Shuggie Howitt, or the Raving Monster Loony Party candidate.
11

Stef,

Edinburgh 01/07/2008 04:30:39
#10 David from Newmills,
Hear you are again as usual, mouthing off on your keyboard, more of your same old trash. Why don't you put yourself forward, if you do, given these statistics of 76%, you will be favorite to win this bi-election with a landslide victory yourself.
Now what we call this party? you would represent. Control Freak Anonymous (CFA) or perhaps, Muppet Against Democracy, (MAD). Where I spend time with my friends, about 96%, of people are against the smoking ban, smokers and non-smokers alike, but you have to see that these are just ordinary folk, far to below, and too common for the likes of David. We do not want to 'Fug' up poor David's airspace or make his hair smell.
In fact, we would be more than happy to see the likes of David a hundred miles away from our smoke, we really do not want this kind of man in our company. So just what is Davids problem in just staying out of our faces.
Scottish politics, has an interesting twist at present with the demise of Peter Pans girlfriend, 'Wendy' sister of Douglas Alexander. You recall, thats the guy who organized the Scottish election shambles, one can only shake one's head when these crooks offer statistics or mention democracy along with their fellow conspirators at ASH HQ. So who is odds on favorite for the Labour leadership, no other than >>>>Andy Kerr, 'Smoking Ban Chief', each and every day I hear the complaints of people who are totally fed up with this corrupt elitist regime. The likes of petulant David is really just a product of that corruption. #9DeniseX, we waste time on the likes of David, he being just a bigot and zealot, you can never influence these types, they are lonely and don't really enjoy the company of ordinary folk.
12

David from New Mills,

Fug free Pleasantville 01/07/2008 11:27:03
#11, stef.
Amusing to see grouchy old stef, sitting up in the early hours, or perhaps he'd just managed to crawl home from the pubs, punching out his latest vituperative outburst, littered with spelling mistakes, in his haste to express his venomous hatred.
If wee stef really considers himself to be one of "ordinary folk", then it's good to be on the fug free side of the border.
No doubt he'll be occupied for a while on other forums, spitting out his animosity, as he comments on the travails of the Scottish Labour Party.
To start him off on autocue, perhaps I could remind him of the old jibes about "Joke" McConnell and "Herr" Kerr.
13

DeniseX,

01/07/2008 11:29:47
David Davis will be voted in by the majority of his constituents. He supports the Freedom and Liberties for minority groups. He also has my support. I would love to have seen ASH put up a candidate and seen them humiliated.
14

David from New Mills,

Fug free Pleasantville 01/07/2008 12:33:29
#13,Deni seX.
Bit like the Publican Party, I suppose.
15

James Donald,

Newbridge 03/07/2008 16:29:09
That a quarter of a million people have taken a positive step to improve their health or at least save some money must been seen as good thing by all except the usual wheezy bitter-enders.
More importantly, 98% of the locations inspected complied with the law despite the calls of a minority for civil disobedience. Nobody is stopping smokers from smoking (although quarter of a million have "seen the light"); all they have to do is step outside.
16

David from New Mills,

Ever pleasantly fug free Pleasantville 03/07/2008 19:27:46
#15,James Donald,Newbridge.
Quite so, James. Haven't noticed Petrol Man on these forums recently, vomiting bile like his mate wee stef, but I suppose there's still time. Perhaps he's gone down to Yorks. to give loser Shuggie Howitt some kind of moral support in his by-election?
P.S. I am indebted to cheerleader Gee of F2S for the somewhat colourful "vomiting bile" turn of phrase.
17

Stef,

Edinburgh 05/07/2008 04:47:52
#16 david, (wee case)
"quite so" how pompous, lol.
18

Stef,

Edinburgh 05/07/2008 04:53:19
Sadly these forums don't include emoticons, wee david could have a lot more fun with those at his disposal, lol.
19

Stef,

Edinburgh 05/07/2008 05:11:44
# david,
Listen son you really need some help on your smoking obsessions. The rest of the world seems to have passed you bye/bye some time ago, try Bebo perhaps! if you want to sell your omnipresence, as far as I can see you really do not not have anything to offer anyone, except your petulance, of course. The more I read your rant, compliance with the likes of yourself and your small mindedness, becomes more a joke, than to have any serious consideration in the real world.
20

Stef,

Edinburgh 05/07/2008 05:26:18
# david,
As a last departure, and a final gesture, 'yourself' and your good buddy Mr Donald, the compliance, and control freaks, are not what people in any kind of educated society needs to have, I would put that down to Democracy, David I am sure you will spellcheck this, and comment, sadly,thats just the way you are.
21

David from New Mills,

Ever pleasantly fug free Pleasantville 05/07/2008 12:39:36
#17-20.
Oh dear, oh dear. Stef, whether upper, lower or plain head case seems to have had a restless night spitting out his obsessive "emoticons". Perhaps after a few hours kip he'll come to and face the day with a cup of something strong, like coffee and a drag on his fag, and realise that thinking society has moved on past him, and that smoking restrictions are still in force out there.
Still, there's always the hope that fellow deluded Scot Shuggie Howitt will triumph in his forthcoming electoral contest and transform the world. There again, perhaps he won't, and stef will remain as embittered as ever. Sad case really.
By the way I never run spellcheck, just learned to read some years ago.
Did stef really mean "a last departure, and a final gesture"? Has he really gone?
22

Stef,

Edinburgh 05/07/2008 16:59:48
#21 david,
'Restrictions' you call them, come on, pls, call it what it is, it's a 'Smoking Ban', it has nothing to do with either health or democracy. It has no recognition of individual property rights. It simply pleases the small minded wee control freaks like yourself, who get their rocks off on abusing people who choose to smoke. Just re-examine your many 1000's of posts, cheap shots, sarcasm, you really are a horrible character with little in your life, except to deride others.
23

David from New Mills,

Thankfully ever pleasantly fug free Pleasantville 05/07/2008 18:33:52
#22,Stef,Edinburgh.
Gosh, stef is still with us, albeit a tad less vindictive after his shuteye. To quote my alleged "good buddy" James Donald at #15, "Nobody is stopping smokers from smoking, all they have to do is step outside." Hence, there is no "ban" as such, merely a restriction, limitation or confinement. Stef is welcome to choose the expression that offends him least, and should be aware that I have never met nor conversed with either James or my other "good buddy" Rollo Tomassi.
If stef finds my "thousands" of posts so repugnant to his taste, he perhaps would be better to ignore them, and concententrate his venom on Wee Wendy and the rest of New Labour.
Otherwise, perhaps he should have an early night, and give both his poor old battered keyboard and his hatred a very much overdue rest.
24

DeniseX,

Smug free London 06/07/2008 11:20:41
One research has also shown that over 400,000 had quit in England. The reseach was carried out by 'Smoking Toolkit' which is funded by
Cancer Research UK, Pfizer and GSK. All of which fund ASH.
So how many have quit?
25

DeniseX,

12/07/2008 09:21:28
Hamish may not have got many votes, but he still got TEN times the number of votes that Tony Farnon got, standing for anti-smokers.
There is more chance of contracting an illness from the fumes of David's feet than from the fumes of cigarettes.
SMOKE HATERS STINK.
26

David from New Mills,

Thankfully ever pleasantly fug free Pleasantville. 12/07/2008 13:16:42
#25,Deni seX.
Confused Deni would appear to be on the wrong thread, unless it's an allusion to my #16? Looking forward to July 24th for reports of Shugggie "91 votes" Howitt's sweeping success in Glasgow East.
27

DeniseX,

12/07/2008 14:29:55
Hamish got over eleven times more votes thsn the ani-smoker (Tony Farnon). 11.375 to be exact. Or, for every 1000 dedicated anti-smokers there are in the country, there are 11,375 dedicated pro-smokers.
Davina believes that the majority should rule.
28

David from New Mills,

Thankfully ever pleasantly fug free Pleasantville 12/07/2008 18:51:16
#27,Deni seX.
Deni, Denis, Denise can play with numbers till the cows come home, but the stark reality is that "Hero" Howitt was simply one of the 25 also rans in Haltemprice and Howden, in addition to being one of the 23 who lost his or her deposit, and even trailing David Icke and the Raving Monster Loony Party candidate. At least Gemma Garrett had the distinct advantage of being prettier. Interestingly, his support was even less than that of the Publican Party candidates in last year's elections in Scotland, in that they gained about 0.5% of the votes cast, compared with Shuggie's derisory 0.38%. Does Deni(s)(e) really want to keep on digging even deeper? Feel free!
29

DeniseX,

12/07/2008 19:14:32
He still got 11.375 times the vote of the anti-smoking candidate.
30

David from New Mills,

Thankfully ever pleasantly fug free Pleasantville 12/07/2008 19:34:23
#29,Deni seX.
Granted, but 11.375 times not a lot, still equates to not a lot out of 23,911 votes cast. Looks as if 23,830 voters went against him. Message clear yet?
31

David from New Mills,

Thankfully ever pleasantly fug free Pleasantville 12/07/2008 19:41:21
#30 Sorry, 23,820 voters didn't choose our Shuggie "91 votes" Howitt. Wouldn't want to overstate the case.
32

DeniseX,

13/07/2008 10:16:21
Tony Farnon was the ONLY candidate representing anti-smokers. He only got 8 votes which was 0.03% of the votes. Hamish was competing with others including David Davis for the votes of people who wanted their Freedom and Liberties.
You only have to look at the comments on smoking stories and you see that anti-smokers are a very, very small minority.
33

David from New Mills,

Thankfully ever pleasantly fug free Pleasantville 13/07/2008 12:07:35
#32,Deni seX.
I had to search on Tony Farnon to learn just who he was, and found that apparently he was campaigning against tobacco addiction and its results. Whilst I would lose no sleep over the tobacco companies' fate if smoking were to cease by, say, 2035, I have no compulsive desire to attempt to personally convert nicotine addicts.
True anti-smokers may well be in a minority, as are clearly also those supporting any reintroduction of smoking in enclosed public places.
By any standards, Hamish Guy Fawkes Howitt failed to make any impression on the voters of Haltemprice and Howden, despite the posturing of F2S and other members of the pro-smokers' lobby, and the fact that most of the other candidates were a rag tag and bobtail assortment of loonies, raving monster or otherwise, with no serious agenda.
As he couldn't even attract more voters than David Icke, or fellow loony "Mad Cow Girl", it would appear he is promoting something of a lost cause. In other words, the parrot is deceased.
However, F2S, the Publican Party, and others in the pro-smokers' lobby have all of ten days or so to rally to Shuggie's cause and help him out by canvassing or giving other support in the Glasgow East by-election in his homeland and proving me completely wrong, or won't they bother making the effort?
I notice a lot of the F2S stalwarts, like chas.w. and cut and paste Mandy, are unusually quiet of late. Are they up in Shettleston already, as we speak, enabling a sweeping success for our Shug? Time will perhaps reveal all.

 

Comment on this Story

 

In order to post comments you must Register or Sign In

 
 
RSS Feed of this article's comments
Delivery formats: RSS, Atom, Javascript & Email
 
  

 
 


Sister Newspapers:
Press Complaints Commission

This website and its associated newspaper adheres to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then contact the Editor by clicking here.

If you remain dissatisfied with the response provided then you can contact the PCC by clicking here.