...to stop social smokers from lighting up, experts say
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The smoking ban should be extended to beer gardens and areas outside pubs and bars to tackle a rise in 'social smoking', a group of experts has said.
Researchers claim that while the number of people smoking has dropped overall, there has actually been an increase in the number of people who light up intermittently or only in given situations.
Professor Janet Hoek, of the University of Otago in New Zealand, said: 'Introducing smoke-free outdoors bars could reduce social smoking by removing cues that stimulate this behaviour and changing the environment that facilitates it.
Researchers claim that since the ban came into effect, the number of social smokers has actually risen
'Such a policy would eliminate the current intersection between smoke-free and smoking spaces and create a physical barrier that, for some, would make accessing the smoking zone too difficult.'
A test group of 13 people who identified themselves as social smokers aged between 19 and 25 discovered that they found it difficult to reconcile their stated identity as non-smokers who smoke.
They managed this conflict by limiting where and when they smoked and by sharply differentiating themselves from 'addicted' smokers to whom, by and large, they felt superior, using several strategies.
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FIVE YEARS OF SMOKE FREE WORKPLACES
A workplace smoking ban, which includes pubs, came into effect across the UK between 2006 and 2007.
Scotland was the first country on March 26, 2007, and England the last on July 1, 2007, following the Health Act 2006.
Before the ban there was a significant decline in the number of people who smoked but among men figures show that the number levelled out and among women there was actually a small increase.
There are exemptions to the workplace ban such as prisons, nursing homes and television sets or stages if it is needed for a performance.
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These included claiming never to smoke alone; asserting that they controlled when, where, and how much they smoked; and defining their smoking as 'a temporary phase.'
They also rationalised their smoking by saying that it only happened when they had been drinking, describing smoking and drinking as going 'hand in hand.'
Some said that alcohol prompted cravings for a cigarette, which they wouldn't otherwise experience.
However, alcohol also enabled them to absolve themselves of any responsibility for their actions, which they inevitably subsequently regretted.
Drinking therefore enabled them to 'binge smoke,' while also distancing them from this behaviour, so helping to maintain their 'non-smoker' persona.
One respondent commented: 'Some nights I can smoke 14 or 15 ciggies or a pack while I'm drinking, but I can never do that without alcohol.'
The number of people smoking has dropped significantly since 1948
Defiant: In 2007 Hamish Howitt appeared at court for flouting the smoking ban law at his pub in Blackpool
When asked for their views on mandating smoke free areas outside bars, which could help decouple smoking and drinking, all but one participant strongly backed this proposal, and indicated that it would help them cut down or stop smoking.
Martin Dockrell, director of research and policy at health campaign group Ash, said: 'The argument for smoke-free legislation wasn't about getting people to quit, it was about protecting people from second hand smoke.
'This is about getting people to stop smoking so the arguments are very different.
'Before taking such action we would like to see more evidence.
We have jurisdictions elsewhere, such as New York, that are introducing more widespread bans and it will be interesting to see if that affects the number of smokers.'
The research was published online in the journal Tobacco Control.
Soon after the smoking ban came into effect across England, pub landlord Hamish Howitt became the first person to be prosecuted under the legislation.
Six regulars at the Happy Scots bar in Blackpool were handed ?50 fixed penalty tickets for smoking at the bar and he said he would pay the fines on their behalf.
He remained defiant and in 2008 had his premises licence revoked.
---------------------------------
Ban smoking in beer gardens to stop social smokers from lighting up, experts say | Mail Online
ffs
The smoking ban should be extended to beer gardens and areas outside pubs and bars to tackle a rise in 'social smoking', a group of experts has said.
Researchers claim that while the number of people smoking has dropped overall, there has actually been an increase in the number of people who light up intermittently or only in given situations.
Professor Janet Hoek, of the University of Otago in New Zealand, said: 'Introducing smoke-free outdoors bars could reduce social smoking by removing cues that stimulate this behaviour and changing the environment that facilitates it.
Researchers claim that since the ban came into effect, the number of social smokers has actually risen'Such a policy would eliminate the current intersection between smoke-free and smoking spaces and create a physical barrier that, for some, would make accessing the smoking zone too difficult.'
A test group of 13 people who identified themselves as social smokers aged between 19 and 25 discovered that they found it difficult to reconcile their stated identity as non-smokers who smoke.
They managed this conflict by limiting where and when they smoked and by sharply differentiating themselves from 'addicted' smokers to whom, by and large, they felt superior, using several strategies.
----------------------------------
FIVE YEARS OF SMOKE FREE WORKPLACES
A workplace smoking ban, which includes pubs, came into effect across the UK between 2006 and 2007.
Scotland was the first country on March 26, 2007, and England the last on July 1, 2007, following the Health Act 2006.
Before the ban there was a significant decline in the number of people who smoked but among men figures show that the number levelled out and among women there was actually a small increase.
There are exemptions to the workplace ban such as prisons, nursing homes and television sets or stages if it is needed for a performance.
------------------------------------
These included claiming never to smoke alone; asserting that they controlled when, where, and how much they smoked; and defining their smoking as 'a temporary phase.'
They also rationalised their smoking by saying that it only happened when they had been drinking, describing smoking and drinking as going 'hand in hand.'
Some said that alcohol prompted cravings for a cigarette, which they wouldn't otherwise experience.
However, alcohol also enabled them to absolve themselves of any responsibility for their actions, which they inevitably subsequently regretted.
Drinking therefore enabled them to 'binge smoke,' while also distancing them from this behaviour, so helping to maintain their 'non-smoker' persona.
One respondent commented: 'Some nights I can smoke 14 or 15 ciggies or a pack while I'm drinking, but I can never do that without alcohol.'
The number of people smoking has dropped significantly since 1948 Defiant: In 2007 Hamish Howitt appeared at court for flouting the smoking ban law at his pub in BlackpoolWhen asked for their views on mandating smoke free areas outside bars, which could help decouple smoking and drinking, all but one participant strongly backed this proposal, and indicated that it would help them cut down or stop smoking.
Martin Dockrell, director of research and policy at health campaign group Ash, said: 'The argument for smoke-free legislation wasn't about getting people to quit, it was about protecting people from second hand smoke.
'This is about getting people to stop smoking so the arguments are very different.
'Before taking such action we would like to see more evidence.
We have jurisdictions elsewhere, such as New York, that are introducing more widespread bans and it will be interesting to see if that affects the number of smokers.'
The research was published online in the journal Tobacco Control.
Soon after the smoking ban came into effect across England, pub landlord Hamish Howitt became the first person to be prosecuted under the legislation.
Six regulars at the Happy Scots bar in Blackpool were handed ?50 fixed penalty tickets for smoking at the bar and he said he would pay the fines on their behalf.
He remained defiant and in 2008 had his premises licence revoked.
---------------------------------
Ban smoking in beer gardens to stop social smokers from lighting up, experts say | Mail Online
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