9 out of 10 Kiwis Support the right to live and work in a smokefree environment

It's been two years since bars and restaurants have been smokefree and nine out of ten New Zealanders support the right to live and work in a smokefree environment, a report released today by Associate Health Minister Damien O'Connor shows. The report, 'After the Smoke Has Cleared: Evaluation of the Impact of a New Smokefree Law', was commissioned by the Ministry of Health and carried out by the University of Otago, University of Auckland and the Health Sponsorship Council, to evaluate the effects of the Smokefree Environments Amendment Act 2003. "In 2001, only six out of ten New Zealanders supported imposing a smoking ban in restaurants, and this increased to about 73% in December 2004, just Act came into force," Mr O'Connor said."The figure has climbed to 90% this year, and at the same time support for smoking in bars and pubs also increasing from 61% in 2004 to 82% in 2006. The study shows that smokers themselves have also increased their support for smokefree bars, pubs and restaurants, which sends a clear message that New Zealanders want to live and work in a smokefree environment, Mr O'Connor said. Mr O'Connor says the aim of the Smokefree Environments Amendment Act was to reduce second-hand smoke exposure among the workforce in indoor places like bars, pubs and restaurants and it's clear from this latest research that we are well on the way to achieving this. "There have been other benefits that have resulted from the law change in 2004. " Damien O'Connor says self-reported second-hand smoke exposure in all homes has also fallen since 2004. Health Sponsorship Council surveys show self-reported second-hand smoke exposure in all homes fell from 20% in 2003 to 9% in 2006. Reductions were greater in Maori households. In 2003, 59% of Maori households with one or more smokers and one or more children were smokefree, increasing to 74% in 2006. This compares to 65% of similar non-Maori households in 2003 to 68% in 2006. "The Smokefree Environments Amendment Act has been a huge change for the better and there has been a major buy-in from stakeholders and communities over the past two years." Other findings in the research include - * The best available evidence suggests that the economic effects of smokefree legislation are broadly neutral or slightly positive on the hospitality industry and other sectors. * Observed compliance in pubs and bars was close to 100%. Most complaints concerned smoking on licensed premises. The number of complaints fell rapidly after the first month, with less than 20 per cent since October 2005. Most complaints were resolved through letters, telephone calls and visits by enforcement staff. Only five complaints resulted in prosecutions. * Prior to the Smokefree Environments Amendment Act 2003, at least 20% of the adult workforce was exposed to second-hand smoke in the workplace. A study of 30 pubs and bars by ESR for this evaluation found that exposure to second-hand smoke reduced by 90% after the law change. * Social smokers are reporting smoking less when going out to bars and nightclubs than they did prior to the law change in 2004. "I'd like to thank all the researchers involved in this evaluation who have given us a wonderful insight into the successful of the smokefree legislation," says Damien O'Connor.