Scotland went 100% smoke-free in all workplaces, including restaurants and pubs, last March. A little over a year later, heart attack rates are down 17%.
That's a big drop compared to the 3% annual reduction in Scottish heart attack admissions in the decade before the law went into effect.
Here are some other findings from the study:
- an 86% reduction in secondhand smoke in bars
- a 39% reduction in secondhand smoke exposure in 11 year-olds and in adult non-smokers
- an increase in the proportion of homes with smoking restrictions
- no evidence of smoking shifting from public places into the home
- high public support for the legislation, even among smokers, whose support increased once the legislation was in place
Reader Challenge: We would like to do something creative to pump some life back into the Legislature on the smoke-free air issue - something with a heart theme maybe - any ideas? Let us know in the comments section - we'll develop some of your ideas and post them here on our blog for you to download!
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4 comments:
I know it's not February, but maybe you could send the legislators valentines with the study findings.
Did you know they did similar studies in Helena, Montana and Pueblo, Colorado?
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The work place should be smoke free. LEAVE THE TAVERNS ALONE!!! If people don't want to be in a taven that allows smoking, then don't go!!
Anonymous's comment is really interesting because it reveals an underlying problem with the way many people think about the smoke-free workplace issue. He/she says workplaces should be smoke-free, but neglects to recognize taverns as a workplace. Bar and restaurant workers deserve the same protections from secondhand smoke as people who work in an office building. No one should have to breathe in secondhand smoke as a condition of employment.
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