Most Europeans support smoking bans: study

(STRASBOURG) - Most Europeans support no-smoking policies spreading through the EU, with backing highest in Ireland, Sweden and Italy where they are already in place, a report published Tuesday says.

An overwhelming majority, 88 percent, support smoke-free offices, indoor workplaces and public spaces, up from 86 percent last year, according to the Eurobarometer report on Tobacco presented by EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou to the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

"I am heartened that public support for smoke-free work and public places in Europe remains so high," Kyprianou said.

"This can only strengthen the momentum towards making European public and work places smoke-free by 2009."

England will be the next place in the European Union to introduce smoking bans in enclosed public places and workplaces, with the new rules coming into force in July following similar measures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Kyprianou announced the launch on May 31 of an e-mail coaching service to support people as they quit smoking.

Some 650,000 people die each year in EU countries because of smoking while a further 80,000 adults are killed by second-hand tobacco smoke.

The official EU survey, released ahead of World No Tobacco Day on May 31, also reveals that one in three smokers have tried to give up in the last 12 months. However, over 70 percent of them relapsed within two months.

The highest percentage of would-be quitters, 46 percent, was reported in Britain.

Stress is cited as the main reason for going back to cigarettes, although the youngest smokers are more likely to be tempted back by smoking friends or colleagues.

The prevalence of tobacco consumption and the exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke is a major public health concern in Europe, the European Commission said in a statement.

According to the study, around half of European homes are smoke-free on average. This varies from 83 percent in Finland and 69 percent in Sweden, to 17 percent in Croatia and 26 percent in Greece.

While more European men (37 percent) than women (27 percent) consider themselves smokers more men also claim to have given up the habit, 25 percent claiming to be ex-smokers against 18 percent of women respondents who considered themselves former smokers.

Almost half of European citizens, 47 percent, declare that they have never smoked.

The heaviest smoking age group (40 percent) were the 25-39 year-olds.

The study, carried out in October-November 2006, found that smokers "do have a certain level of consideration for non-smokers," especially children and pregnant women

However, two-thirds of smokers have no problem with smoking in the company of non-smokers at home.

Tobacco control in the EU: questions & answers

Attitudes of Europeans towards Tobacco - Eurobarometer