30/06/2008
Smoke free success
One year on - and the smoking ban is being hailed a massive success in Liverpool.
Health experts say around 5,000 people have given up smoking since 1 July last year, and thousands of lives in Liverpool have been saved as a result of no smoking in public places.
The anti-smoking charity Fagends - run by the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation - calculate 5,000 city residents have quit smoking, and the health of thousands of workers has been protected, since smoking was outlawed in workplaces and public places such as pubs and cafes.
Liverpool City Council's executive member for the environment, Councillor Berni Turner, said: "People's response to the smoking ban has been fantastic.
"Earlier this week, NHS trusts reported a dramatic fall in the number of heart attack patients, and it is as a result of people being encouraged to give up smoking and lead a healthier lifestyle.
"Liverpool spearheaded the smoke free campaign and I'm proud that the city council worked closely with SmokeFree Liverpool to put pressure on the Government to bring in a nationwide smoking ban in all public work places.
"The health benefits were obvious from the outset, but many people now enjoy going out and they don't have to socialise in smoky venues with their clothes reeking of cigarettes at the end of the night."
Gideon Ben-Tovim, Chair of Liverpool Primary Care Trust, said: "In the last year we have taken huge strides in Liverpool with around five thousand people quitting smoking. Since the smoking, more and more people have contacted FagEnds who, with more than 14 years experience, have a proud record of helping people kick the habit.
"Of course with more than a hundred thousand smokers in Liverpool there is still much to do. In the next few months we will be unveiling a number of new ways which we hope will encourage even more people to kick the habit for good. "
The city council's environmental health team regularly visit businesses including pubs, clubs, restaurants and even taxis, and found the large majority of people are respecting the ban.
During the first eight months, the team inspected 5,235 businesses. Only nine people were found smoking illegally and were issued with a £50 Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN). Cautions were issued to five individuals.
A further three people found smoking in public buildings were prosecuted in the Magistrates Court were each fined £115 including costs.
Jennie Piet, co-ordinator of SmokeFree Liverpool said: "We are delighted at how much the people of Liverpool have got behind the legislation and made it such a success since last July, which we hope will continue.
"We are doing more work to protect children and young people from the dangers of secondhand smoke.
"SmokeFree Liverpool's latest campaign, SmokeFree Kids tackles this by raising the awareness of the dangers children face from secondhand smoke in environments such as in the car and the home."
Timeline to smokefree revolution:
March 2004 - Smokefree Liverpool, a partnership between the city council and local health and community organisations, is launched.
October 2004 - Liverpool City Council votes to pursue a Local Act of Parliament to ban smoking.
November 2004 - City council delivers smoke-free Bill to Parliament.
January 2005 - Private Bill gets first reading in House of Lords and intensive lobbying campaign gets underway.
July 2005 - House of Lords give Private Bill a second reading.
January 2006 - Westminster hosts smoking debate with council leader.
February 2006 - Free vote takes place at the House of Commons.
February 2006 - Triumph for smokefree campaign as the Commons votes in favour of nationwide ban.
October 2006 - Smokefree Bill withdrawn.
December 2006 - Public Health Minister Caroline Flint announces the ban will start on 1 July 2007.
<< Back