Expanding smokefree places popular as Government launches consultation

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) today welcomed the Government’s launch of a consultation on expanding smokefree legislation, marking an important moment 20 years on from the parliamentary vote that delivered comprehensive smokefree indoor public places.

With smoking rates continuing to fall, ASH says now is the right time to review and renew smokefree laws to ensure they reflect how people live, work and socialise today, and to better protect the public from the harms of secondhand smoke.

Hazel Cheeseman, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said:

“Smokefree legislation has been one of the greatest public health successes of the last 20 years, saving lives, improving health and changing social norms for the better. With smoking now far less common than when the law was introduced, the public rightly expects the same protections to extend to shared outdoor spaces where people are still being exposed to harmful secondhand smoke.”

The consultation proposes:

• Extending smokefree restrictions to some outdoor settings – school grounds, council-owned parks, hospital grounds
• Restricting vaping in indoor settings where smoking is prohibited and around schools and playgrounds
• Ensuring that use of heated tobacco products is prohibited where smoking is.

ASH welcomes the Government’s intention to update the law across these three areas and bring the law in line with public preferences and to provide greater clarity for employers and service providers. 

However, ASH stresses that vaping is not smoking and should be regulated proportionately. Current evidence that exposure to secondhand vapour poses a significant risk to health has not yet accumulated, and vaping remains one of the most effective tools to help people stop smoking.

ASH therefore welcome the Government’s proposal to exempt in certain settings where vaping supports smoking cessation along with residential mental health settings. It is also important that vaping is not included in outdoor hospital restrictions where it can support people to remain smokefree. A balanced approach is essential to ensure that efforts to reduce exposure to vapour do not unintentionally undermine progress in reducing smoking.

Mark Rowland, Co-Chair of the Mental Health and Smoking Partnership, and Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation said:

“It’s right that the law is updated to reflect how vaping is used today and what the public expects in shared spaces. But we must be careful not to lose sight of the role vaping plays in helping people quit smoking, especially in mental health settings where smoking rates remain unacceptably high. There is no clear evidence that secondhand vapour is harmful, and sensible exemptions will be vital to ensure vaping can continue to support people to move away from tobacco.”

Public support for expanding smokefree places remains strong. Data from ASH’s regular public opinion polling^[1] in Great Britain shows clear majorities in favour of new restrictions on where people can smoke, including:

• 91% support banning smoking in children’s play areas
• 91% support banning smoking in school grounds
• 79% support banning smoking in hospital grounds
• 77% support banning smoking in public transport waiting areas
• 60% support banning smoking on beaches
• 59% support banning smoking in outdoor seating areas of restaurants, pubs and cafés 

England’s smokefree law is widely recognised as one of the most successful public health policies of the last 20 years, delivering major health benefits, high compliance and lasting public support.^[2]

However, millions of people remain exposed to secondhand smoke, particularly in social and outdoor settings. ASH data^[1] shows that 72% of people report recent exposure to secondhand smoke, most commonly while socialising. Young adults are especially affected: 86% of 18–24 year olds report exposure in the past three months, with more than half of all 18-24 year olds saying this occurs during social occasions.^[3]

Exposure at work also remains a significant issue. While 14% of people report exposure to secondhand smoke at work overall, some sectors are far more affected than others. Transport and hospitality workers are most likely to report exposure, highlighting gaps in current protections and the need for stronger smokefree policies in workplaces and transport hubs.^[1][4]

^{Hazel Cheeseman added:}

“Given the levels of exposure to secondhand smoke reported in hospitality settings and transport hub it is unfortunate that these are not covered by the planned consultation. These were matters raised in the debates around the original smokefree law and have long been an issue of concern. It is to be hoped that the government may review this omission in the future.”

Smokefree legislation was once controversial, but history shows it has delivered overwhelming benefits as will expansion of the regulations. The perspectives of those who were MPs at the time of the historic smokefree vote 20 years ago have been captured here by ASH and show how this once hotly debated issue so rapidly became the norm. 

ASH is calling on the Government to use this consultation to build on the success of existing legislation. Doing so would reduce avoidable exposure to secondhand smoke, protect workers, and reflect the clear wishes of the public.

ENDS

Contact: press@ash.org.uk