The British government is considering extending smoking and vaping bans to a range of outdoor spaces, including pub gardens, university campuses, and bus stops, following strong public support. A new survey by Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) found that nearly two-thirds of people would back a ban on smoking in pub gardens, while over nine in ten supported smoke-free children's play areas.
Public Support for Smoke-Free Areas
The YouGov poll of 13,259 adults, conducted for Ash, revealed that 93% of respondents supported smoke-free playgrounds, 78% backed smoke-free bus stops, and 68% favoured smoke-free university and college campuses. Some 62% also supported extending smoke-free laws to outdoor hospitality areas such as pub gardens.
Government Consultation
The government's consultation on extending smoke-free laws to outdoor spaces like playgrounds and outside hospitals, as well as creating vape-free areas, closed on May 8. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which received royal assent last month, made the UK the first European country to prevent children aged 17 or younger from legally buying cigarettes.
Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Ash, said: "Smoke-free laws have been one of the biggest public health success stories in recent decades, but millions of people are still exposed to harmful second-hand smoke in outdoor settings. The public is clear that they want more places where they can breathe clean air."
Potential Impact
Government estimates suggest the Tobacco and Vapes Bill could reduce the number of smokers aged 14 and over from 5.5 million in 2023 to just over 700,000 by 2056. The modelling also indicates that around 154,800 deaths could be prevented in England by 2100.
Ash is also calling on the government to develop a plan to reduce smoking in homes, particularly around children, and to implement a vape-free exemption for smoking cessation services to encourage smokers to switch to e-cigarettes.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "The Tobacco and Vapes Act is a historic step towards Britain's first smoke-free generation... Our consultation on free-from places closed on Friday and we are carefully considering responses." The proposals include making settings like kids' playgrounds and outside schools smoke, vape, and heated tobacco-free, as well as extending bans to indoor spaces where smoking is already prohibited.
