New data reveals the GB jobs most likely to be exposed to second-hand smoke: is yours on the list?

New data from public health charity Action on Smoking and Health has revealed the professions where workers are most likely to report being exposed to second hand smoke.

The data shows that although 14% of all Brits report being exposed to second-hand smoke at work there are inequalities with some professions being significant outliers. Transport workers and those in hospitality top the list with those in media, education and pharmaceutical industries being the least exposed. This shows that current smokefree laws are insufficient to protect staff.

The charity is calling on the Government to urgently pass the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, currently making its way through Parliament, which contains additional powers to extend smokefree places. They argue that extending smokefree places to transport hubs and hospitality settings would reduce second-hand smoke exposure.

The sectors most likely to report exposure are:

1. Transport (including logistics and distribution) 41%
2. Hospitality (including accommodation, restaurants and fast-food) 38%
3. Electricity gas and water supply/ oil and gas 33%
4. Construction and associated trades 32%
5. Manufacture 30%

The sectors least likely to report exposure are:

1. Media 8%
2. Pharmaceutical 10%
3. Education 10%
4. Charity 11%
5. Research and development 11%
   

There is no safe level of second-hand smoke exposure and it has been estimated that non-smokers who are exposed face a 25%-35% increased risk of heart disease and a 24% increased risk of lung cancer.

While not making the top 5 professions exposed those working in Health and Social Care roles are also more likely to report exposure (23%). This highlights the importance of creating smokefree NHS sites but also looking more closely at what can be done to protect those workers providing care in people’s homes.

Caroline Cerny, ASH Deputy CEO, said:

“Everyone deserves to work in a safe, healthy environment- free from the dangers of second-hand smoke. Our latest findings indicate a stark divide: those with generally office-based roles are far better protected than those in manual and service-based roles. The Government must act without delay and pass the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to expand smokefree places to safeguard workers’ health, just as similar measures have done in the past.”

David Taylor, Labour MP for Hemel Hempstead, said:

“No one should have to choose between earning a wage and breathing clean air. These figures from ASH show why I back stronger smokefree laws, to protect workers’ health, tackle inequalities, and make every workplace safe. This Labour Government is already taking bold action to stub out smoking for good, and this Bill will take us another step closer to a smokefree Britain.”

Kruti Shrotri, head of policy at Cancer Research UK said:

"This data shows that far too many people are still breathing in harmful tobacco smoke at work, particularly in the transport and hospitality sector. Passive smoking increases the risk of serious diseases, including lung cancer, and your job shouldn’t impact how exposed you are to it. 

"The world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill is a vital opportunity to protect people from the dangers of tobacco and explore the expansion of smokefree places. I urge all parliamentarians to back a smokefree UK and prioritise this Bill when it returns to the House of Lords.”

For interviews or more information, contact press@ash.org.uk

Notes to the editor:

Source: ASH Smokefree GB survey data 2025 (age 18+, sample size=13,314). Fieldwork was undertaken between 10/02/2025 and 10/03/2025. Survey was conducted online using the YouGov panel and is sampled and weighted to be representative of all GB adults.

Industry	Proportion reporting exposure to smoke at work in the last 3 months	Sample size	Significantly different from all who work, p<.05
All adults	14%	13,314	-
All those who work	20%*	8,234	-
Agriculture and hunting (including forestry and fishing)	19%	79	No significant difference
Banking	13%	83	No significant difference
Business services	14%	124	No significant difference
Charity / voluntary and activities of membership organization	11%	207	Significantly lower
Computers / IT / and related activities	15%	574	Significantly lower
Construction and associated trades	32%	302	Significantly higher
Creative art and design	16%	82	No significant difference
Education	10%	872	Significantly lower
Electricity gas and water supply / oil and gas	33%	78	Significantly higher
Estate Agencies / Real Estate and renting	15%	64	No significant difference
Finance	18%	252	No significant difference
Health and Social Work	23%	922	Significantly higher
Hospitality (including accommodation, restaurants and fast-food)	38%	313	Significantly higher
Insurance	16%	92	No significant difference
Legal	14%	112	No significant difference
Local Government / Civil Service	18%	480	No significant difference
Manufacture	30%	393	Significantly higher
Media	8%	63	Significantly lower
Other	15%	1,186	Significantly lower
Other service industry	20%	284	No significant difference
Pharmaceutical	10%	56	No significant difference
PR / Advertising / Marketing	17%	126	No significant difference
Public administration / services and defence	20%	112	No significant difference
Recreational cultural and sporting activities	15%	72	No significant difference
Research and Development	11%	58	No significant difference
Retail	24%	595	Significantly higher
Telecommunications	23%	114	No significant difference
Transport (including logistics and distribution)	41%	258	Significantly higher
Travel and Tourism	26%	86	No significant difference
Wholesale trade (including repair of motor vehicles personal)	26%	50	No significant difference

Note: six industries are excluded due to low sample size (<50).

* One in five working adults report being exposed to tobacco smoke at work (20%).

Full question: In which, if any, of the following places have you come into contact with other people's cigarette smoke in the past three months?

• In my home
• In other people's home
• At work
• At college/ university
• When I go out to socialise
• When I'm waiting for public transport
• In parks
• None of these
• Don't know

[Multiple answers permitted]

The proportion selecting ‘At work’ is reported in the table above.