The latest Smoke Free Research

One Year on Report Findings

Twelve months after the introduction in July 2007 of the Smoke Free law this document was produced. Its contents include information on reported health benefits, public attitudes, what businesses have reported regarding implementing the changes into their workplaces and an overall review of the legislation in place.
To read more on this click here.

The Smoke Free Bars Study (2007)

Within the One Year On report is a section which summarises the Smoke Free Bars ’07 study undertaken between the Institute of Occupational Medicine, Aberdeen University and the John Moore’s University in Liverpool. This study has been worked into the academic research the DOH commissioned to look closely at the Smoke Free legislation in England.
To read more on this particular study and the findings click here.

Research Focused on Public Opinion of the Smoke Free Law

A number of surveys were run in February, April and June of 2007 and another in May 2008. These surveys, commissioned by the Department of Health (DOH) were geared towards assessing the public opinion and level of support for the Smoke Free law, as well as how much an individual generally understands about how the law operates and why.

Positive findings that came out of the report indicated that as many as 78% at the time supported the workplace smoking ban as part of the legislation and that seven out of ten surveyed could understand and agree that the creation of these smoke free areas had a positive effect on an individual’s health as well as on the local community. Read more on this research and the findings here.

Research into Business Awareness and Perceptions

Seven different “waves” of Department of Health surveys were run between January 2006 and May 2008 to assess the way that businesses understood the idea of the Smoke Free law, their own responsibilities, (and perceptions of how these would work) and what the subsequent impact this legislation had caused since the July 2007 introduction.

98% of the surveyed businesses replied that they felt that as far as they were concerned that they were complying fully with the Smoke Free law. 87% were happy with how the legislation had been rolled out, 40% reported they felt the changes had a positive effect on business and less than five percent reported negativity about the legislation and their business.
Read more on these findings here.

The ONS Survey on Smoking Behaviours and Attitudes

Between January 2007 and May 2008 the ONS undertook a comprehensive study to assess the restrictions in places such as railways stations, cafes and pubs and what effect these had on public attitudes and behaviours. The study included a wealth of data collected via fieldwork and produced some interested statistics.

When the report went live in June 2008 it reported that as many as 75% of those surveyed fully supported and agreed with the restrictions in place and that many reported a drop in the number of people who said they still allowed smoking in their own home. The findings suggested that between 2006 and the date of survey that 6% fewer individuals allowed smoking in their home, making 67% of homes smoke free as opposed to the 61% previously recorded.

The Three Month Report

In the three months after the Smoke Free law was introduced in July 2007 a wealth of data was collected relating to compliance, information from and about businesses and public attitudes. This data became the Three Month report which showed an overwhelming support for the Smoke Free law, amongst other positive findings.
To read more on this click here.

2008 Academic Research

In order to continually assess the outcomes of the Smoke Free legislation a number of pieces of work, covering a range of related topics was commission by the Department of Health.

This research included:

• A study which mapped and pulled together the research undertaken in the UK regarding the implementation of the Smoke Free law.
• A study on the immediate and ongoing effect of the law on businesses (particularly the economic effect)
• Data collected on the health and attitudes of individuals working in environments where they would previously have been subject to high levels of second hand smoke (for example bars, pubs, clubs etc) and that of the customers of the same establishments.

A large study looking into the measureable change in attitudes of families, workers, individuals, health care providers and additional groups relating to the introduction of the smoke free law.