Smoking in Pubs

Over 70% of the population does not smoke but the choice of visiting a pub and not being exposed to the discomforts of tobacco smoke are virtually non-existent! The aim of our project is to encourage pubs to voluntarily become totally smoke free, prior to a complete ban on smoking in work and public places coming in to force.

Passive smoking is a problem

A growing body of research indicates that exposure to second hand smoke (passive smoking) is a far greater danger than was previously realised. It has been estimated that passive smoking is the cause of 600 deaths from lung cancer and 1,200 cases of heart disease among people who do not smoke. Most people who do not smoke say that they find a smoky environment uncomfortable and that it makes both clothes and hair smell. People who suffer from asthma often have little choice but to avoid going to pubs at all. Rebmember there is no safe level of tobacco smoke exposure.

"My customers don’t complain so why should I be concerned about tobacco smoke?"

Publicans obviously want to keep their customers happy but they argue that people do not complain about smoke in their pubs and so there is no need to do anything about it. They are also concerned that if they become smoke free voluntarily and the pub down the road does not then they could loose customers. However, over the next few years it is likely that the law will change and smoking will be banned in all work and public places.

People have got used to having to put up with a smoky atmosphere in pubs and many people do not like to complain. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they like it. The Pub-Goers Survey, of 400 pub-goers and 75 non pub-goers, found that a smoky environment was the “overwhelming” issue raised “time and time again” and among the main factors putting people off visiting pubs. 90% of respondent’s thought that something should be done about smoking in pubs, 22% wanted a complete ban and only 9% were happy with standard smoking throughout arrangements. In another survey 88% of people were in favour of smoking restrictions in restaurants and 53% in pubs.

What about smoke free areas?

Unfortunately smoke free areas aren’t really smoke free. Smoke inevitably drifts across the area allocated for customers who do not smoke unless smokers are segregated and this is not very practical in modern open plan bars or small pubs. Researchers in Manchester have measured air quality in 60 public houses over a period of 4 years behind the bar, as well as in smoking and no smoking areas. They found that nicotine levels were 67% lower in the no smoking areas but overall tobacco smoke pollution, as measured by the number of airborne particles was reduced by only 27%. Tobacco smoke levels behind the bar were only 1.6% lower than those in the public smoking area. Even sophisticated extractor fans had little effect on pollution levels.

What about ventilation?

For obvious reasons this is the option that is being promoted by the tobacco industry. Ventilation, however, doesn’t solve the problem. Tobacco smoke is made up of approximately 12% particles, many of which are too fine to be dealt with by filtration systems. The other component is gas, which includes many of the most harmful chemicals. The organisation ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) calculated that to reduce smoke to acceptable levels within pubs would require such a large volume of air circulating it would be almost like a gale blowing! Two reports have strongly made the point that ventilation is not a solution to the problem of smoking in pubs. Installing and maintaining ventilation equipment is expensive and heating costs inevitably increase. Not all premises are suitable for ventilation.

What do pub-goers think?

Evidence from customer surveys suggests that becoming a smoke free pub could prove very popular. The Pub Goers Survey found that a smoky atmosphere was the issue raised 'time and time again' by customers. People who do not smoke are at present being denied the chance to socialise without being exposed to the discomforts of tobacco smoke.

What do you think?

If you are a pub user and would like us to approach your local pub about becoming smoke free then please fill in this form

If you are a publican and would like to know more about becoming smoke free then please fill in this form

What about smokers?

At the moment smokers have it all their own way and are able to smoke at any time in virtually all pubs. It’s not unreasonable to give people who do not smoke a breathing space! In fact, surveys suggest that even smokers often view smoking restrictions in pubs positively. This is not surprising since 80% of smokers at any one time say that they would like to give up and may welcome a night out in the pub without the temptation to smoke.

What will participating publicans need to do?

We ask that participating publicans display 'No Smoking' signs on the door, tables and bar.

What will Smoke Free South Yorkshire do?

We will provide 'smoke free' signs and publicity for participants. All participants will be listed on this site and included in our smoke free guide.

Are smoke free environments good for business?

Surveys suggest that people enjoy visiting premises that are not smoky and this is likely to be good for trade. Obviously it takes time for people to get to know that smoke free times are available. Currently around 52% of the population never goes to a pub. The Pub Goers Survey revealed that a smoky atmosphere was among the top 5 reasons for this. This represents a lot of potential customers.

What about pub workers?

Workplace Health and Safety regulations provide for the protection of workers from exposure to harmful substances at work but in the case of tobacco smoke exposure the government is still considering how to tackle the problem, especially in the hospitality industry. However, the issue is not unimportant. Tobacco smoke is now classified as a Class A carcinogen and statistics indicate that pub workers are exposed to higher than usual amounts of tobacco smoke and that this does have a detrimental effect on health. In Norway smoking is no longer to be allowed in bars, restaurants and clubs because evidence of a higher risk of lung cancer among this group. Similar restrictions also now apply in many cities in the USA. In a survey 84% of staff in public houses said that they would prefer to work in a less smoky atmosphere.