Britons back bold action on smokefree places, as Ministers consider next steps

Nine in ten adults back play area smoking ban, new polling shows, as ministers consider next steps following the smokefree consultation.

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) has called on the Government to go further in protecting people from second-hand smoke, by extending smokefree laws to additional outdoor settings, such as pub gardens, all children’s play areas, university campuses, transport hubs and pavement seating areas to further protect children, workers and the clinically vulnerable.

New YouGov polling commissioned by ASH[1] shows overwhelming public support for expanding smokefree spaces beyond the Government’s current proposals:

• 93% support smokefree children’s play areas
• 78% support smokefree public transport waiting areas
• 68% support smokefree university and college campuses
• 62% support smokefree outdoor seating in hospitality settings

The findings point to a clear public mandate for stronger action, as the Government decides how far to go in extending smokefree protections.

ASH welcomed the Government’s proposals to expand smokefree rules to some outdoor spaces and to include heated tobacco products in existing legislation but said more ambitious action is needed to build on one of the UK’s most successful public health measures.

Indoor smokefree laws have transformed public health by reducing exposure to lethal second-hand smoke, reducing the visibility of smoking and supporting people to quit. Extending these protections outdoors would be the next step towards a smokefree society.

Hazel Cheeseman, Chief Executive at ASH, said: “Smokefree 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. As ministers review the findings from the consultation, there is a strong mandate to go further and faster.

“Extending smokefree laws to areas like pub gardens, all play areas, university campuses and transport hubs is a common-sense next step that will protect health and support a smokefree generation.”

ASH also supports measures to restrict vaping in many indoor settings. While the evidence of direct harm from second-hand vapour is unclear, restrictions can help to protect children from seeing vaping as an everyday behaviour to emulate.

However, ASH is urging Ministers to ensure that rules on vaping do not undermine the critical role vaping plays in helping people quit smoking. The Government should ensure that vaping indoors is actively permitted where it is supporting smoking cessation, ASH say.

ASH warn that without clear public communication on the difference in risks between vaping and smoking, the Government could inadvertently reinforce a dangerous and widespread misconception that vaping is as harmful as smoking.

Vaping is significantly less harmful to those who already smoke and is a recommended quitting aid. If current smokers come to see vaping as equally restricted, and therefore equally dangerous, it is possible fewer smokers will switch and more will continue smoking.

ASH is also calling on the Government to:

• develop a national strategy to reduce smoking in the home, particularly where children and health care workers are present. ASH polling from 2025 found that one in ten children aged 11 to 17 in Britain live in homes where smoking is allowed indoors. A separate survey found that almost a quarter of health and care workers reported exposure to second-hand smoke during home visits.
• remove exemptions that allow smoking in specialist tobacconists and performances.
• ensure appropriate vape free exemptions are applied in all smoking cessation and abstinence support services to encourage a switch from tobacco to protect the use of vapes as a quitting tool.
• publish clear guidance for the NHS and local authorities on the role of vaping in supporting adults to quit smoking alongside a communications strategy to support more accurate harm perceptions.

ENDS.

Notes to Editors:

• The Smokefree Places Consultation closed Friday 8th May
• The Smokefree Places Consultation can be found: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/smoke-free-heated-tobacco-free-and-vape-free-places-in-england
• [1] ASH survey conducted by YouGov. Total sample size was 13,259 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 18/02/2026 - 19/03/2026. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).
• ASH consultation response is here: Free-from-consultation-ASH-response-FINAL-v2.pdf