Protect people from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke
Evidence and best practices
Benefits and outcomes of creating 100% smoke-free environments
- Implementation of smoke-free policies leads to a substantial decline in SHS exposure.
- Implementation of smoke-free legislation causes a decline in heart disease morbidity.
- Implementation of smoke-free legislation decreases respiratory symptoms in workers.
- Smoke-free workplaces reduce cigarette consumption among continuing smokers and lead to increased successful cessation among workers.
- Smoke-free policies do not cause a decline in business activity of the restaurant or bar industry.
- Smoke-free policies reduce tobacco youth among youth.
There is extensive evidence from a number of countries that comprehensive smoke-free laws prompt people – and particularly parents – to make their homes smoke-free. In New Zealand, reported exposure to second-hand smoke in the home nearly halved in the three years after smoke-free legislation was introduced, and in Scotland, children’s exposure to second-hand smoke fell by nearly 40% after smoke-free legislation came into force.