The members of ‘Smokefree Action’ share serious concerns about the current lack of protection for UK workers from the dangers of Secondhand smoke and agree with the following statements:
1. Secondhand smoke is seriously harmful to health
1.1. Secondhand smoke causes ischaemic heart disease, sudden infant death syndrome, lung cancer and respiratory problems. Non-smokers exposed to Secondhand smoke have an increased risk of lung cancer and ischaemic heart disease of about 24-25%.[i]
1.2. At least 11,000 people die from Secondhand smoke exposure each year in the UK. Breathing in Secondhand smoke at work is likely to be responsible for the deaths of 617 people per year, including 54 deaths of hospitality (bar, pub, nightclub, hotel and restaurant) workers each year.[ii]
2. The Government has not gone far enough
2.1. On 16 November 2004, the Government announced their intention to end smoking in all workplaces and enclosed public places by 2008, but with exemptions for those pubs that do not serve ‘prepared’ food, and private membership clubs.[iii]
2.2. These exemptions are highly undesirable because a) many tens of thousands of workers, including those who are exposed to some of the highest levels of second hand smoke, will fail to be protected; and b) they are likely to increase regional differences in people’s health, since the exempted pubs are more likely to be found in poorer areas where people already have poorer health.
3. The Government must make all workplaces and enclosed public places smokefree as soon as possible.
3.1. All workers have the right to work in smoke-free enclosed places.
3.2. The Government must demonstrate a real commitment to tackling this major public health issue and bring in national smokefree legislation for all workplaces and enclosed public places without exemptions as soon as possible.
3.3. Action on Secondhand smoke would benefit all concerned:
- employers, by removing the potential risk of future litigation;
- employees, who will no longer have to breathe in other people’s tobacco smoke; and
- smokers themselves, who say they find it easier to quit if workplaces are smokefree.
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