Scottish opinion hardens against extending smoking ban to other areas

• Nine out of ten people in Scotland believe current restrictions go far enough
• Little public support for extending the ban to include private homes, private cars, open-air parks, and outside pubs and clubs.

One year on from the introduction of the smoking ban in enclosed public places, the Scottish public is overwhelmingly against extending them further, according to a new opinion poll conducted by Populus.

The findings of the new poll, conducted on behalf of The Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association, reveal that nine out of ten Scots think the restrictions introduced in March 2006 are either about right (68%) or go too far (22%), with only one in ten (9%) believing the ban does not go far enough.

When it comes to extending the ban, almost nine out of ten (87%) of those polled say it would be unreasonable to ban smoking in the home. There is also a big majority against banning smoking in private cars with three quarters (75%) saying it would be unreasonable. The majority of people in Scotland believe smokers should continue to be allowed to smoke in most open-air public spaces, outnumbering those not in favour by around two to one. For example, 69 per cent say it would be unreasonable to ban smoking in open-air parks compared with only 30 per cent who think it would be reasonable. Opinion is similarly split two to one against banning smoking on beaches, outside places of work, outside pubs and clubs and on public footpaths.

Opposition to further restrictions has also hardened recently, based on comparisons with a similar poll conducted by Populus last November. The latest results show that the net number of people who think banning smoking in the home is unreasonable has gone up from just over half the population to three quarters, a jump of 21 per cent. In the same four months, the net number thinking that banning smoking in private cars is unreasonable has jumped by 12%.

Chris Ogden, director of The Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association, commented on the results: “Having lived with the ban on smoking in public places for a year now, most people in Scotland, including non-smokers, are effectively saying ‘enough is enough’. There is clearly no popular demand for any further restrictions and we hope the Scottish Executive will take note”.

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Notes to Editors:

1. Other Key Statistics

88 per cent of those polled say that whether or not you smoke should make no difference to getting a job.
70 per cent say that being a smoker should make no difference to receiving medical treatment.
Almost half (47%) of the Scottish public thinks that tackling crime and anti-social behaviour should be the Scottish Executive’s top priority.
Amongst those who put public health second as a priority (36%), further restrictions on smoking are a very low priority compared with reducing poverty, improving housing conditions and reducing alcohol consumption
2. Full details of results can be downloaded here. This shows comparisons between the latest poll and the poll conducted in November 06 where the same questions were asked.

3. Populus interviewed a random sample in Scotland of 1,004 adults aged 18+ by telephone between 23 February and 26 February 2007. Results have been weighted to be representative of all adults in Scotland.

4. 24% of the sample smokes daily, 6% occasionally. 23% are ex-smokers, while 46% have never smoked. These rates accord with smoking prevalence rates for the UK as a whole.