A Breath of Fresh Air | Date: 05.01.2005
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Barnsley is joining the front line towns and cities in wanting to become smoke free in all work places and enclosed public places.

Barnsley Cabinet has approved a paper that this month is being considered by full Council.Council is on the verge of endorsing a voluntary smoke-free policy for the borough.

Already, all Council buildings operate a ‘No Smoking’ rule, and it is hoped that other employers will follow this example.

Dr Paul Redgrave, Director of Public Health for the Council and the Primary Care Trust, says that action taken now will benefit everyone in the future.

“To improve health in Barnsley and start to catch up with the rest of the country we need to do something radical – this is radical!”

“A smoke-free policy would be a major step towards making Barnsley a healthier place,” he said. “Smoking is the single greatest cause of preventable illness and early death in the UK and reducing this at a local level would not only improve the health of the people of Barnsley, but would send out a message nationally that something can be done.”

The effects of smoking are well publicised. A hard-hitting national campaign featuring real-life smokers and people close to them affected by smoking has been demonstrating what can happen. The facts are unavoidable.

• Smoking is the UK’s major cause of preventable illness and premature death, and costs the NHS around £1.7 billion a year in England.
• A recent MORI poll showed that just over a quarter of the adult population smoke, but of those, 70 percent say they would like to stop.
• In Barnsley, at least 90 percent of people who develop chronic lung disease are smokers.
• Children are at particular risk from second-hand smoke, increasing the risk of pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma attacks, decreased lung function and sudden infant death syndrome.

By working in partnership with other agencies, the Council hopes to address a major cause of health problems in the borough.

Dr Redgrave said: “Currently, at least one adultperson in threefive in Barnsley smokes, and we knowestimate that over half of those would like to quit. By reducing the chance to smoke in places such as the workplace and in pubs, this would actively encourage those who do wish to stop smoking to do so, and in doing so reduce the risk of affecting others with their habit.

“However, we do not have power to enforce ‘no smoking’ rules in areas outside of Council control, which is why we will be undergoing extensive consultation and entering into talks with employers and licensees in an effort to get them to comply with a voluntary code.

“I know there will be some people who will continue to see smoking as a right of ‘personal choice’, but I ask them to think of the others that are affected. For example, pubs are seen as one of the last bastions of the smoker, but is it right that staff in those pubs should be subjected to something that can seriously damageaffect their health? I don’t think it is, and I’m sure most people, including smokers, would agree with me.”

Other placesareas have already introduced no smoking policies.,and iIn Ireland around 7,000 people have stopped smoking and a further 10,000 have reduced their consumption since the policy was put in place.

People in Barnsley who are interested in quitting can contact the local Stop Smoking Service on 01226 288540, or call in at 20 Regent Street, Barnsley. The service offers a 7-week programme, and people can refer themselves.

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