Coming soon, smoke free Northern Ireland
Enclosed workplaces and public places in Northern Ireland will soon be smoke-free by law. Click here to make sure you know the facts before you decide whether or not you think making enclosed workplaces and public places smoke-free will be good for all of us
Why do we need workplaces and enclosed public places to be smokefree?
The Government recently reviewed all the available information about the health effects of passive smoking. It says there is now no doubt that breathing in other people’s cigarette smoke significantly increases the risk of cancer and heart disease, and advises that no baby, child or adult should be exposed to second-hand smoke. Second-hand smoke comes from the burning end of the cigarette (sidestream smoke) as well as the smoke inhaled and exhaled by the smoker (mainstream smoke).
Reviews on the effect of smokefree workplaces found that they made fast and dramatic improvements to people’s health. Air quality, respiratory health and levels of heart attacks and heart disease all improved within months of the law being introduced. Also, it has been estimated that exposure to passive smoking in the workplace causes about 600 deaths each year across the UK. This figure doesn’t include the harmful effects to people who just visit places where smoking is allowed. For more information on the health effects of passive smoking click here.
Besides all the health reasons, it’s much nicer not to be bothered by smelly cigarette smoke when you’re out and about with friends. In other countries where smoke free laws have been introduced it has helped people to quit because smoking isn't as easy. If you have friends or parents who smoke, the new smokefree law might help them to give up. Smokefree workplaces and public places also put people off from even starting smoking in the first place. After all, would you want to smoke outside in the cold when your friends are inside having a great time? Remember as well, the smoke free workplaces and enclosed public places are being introduced to protect workers from passive smoking, not to punish smokers. We all have a right to breathe air that is not harming us.
International examples
The following places have introduced legislation relating to smoking:
 Belgium |
 Bhutan |
 Bulgaria |
 Cuba |
 Germany |
 Hungary |
 Republic of Ireland |
 New Zealand |
 Norway |
 Spain |
 Sweden |
 Scotland |
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