Plea to smokers not to spark up at family events

Residents in Nottinghamshire are being urged not to smoke at public events attended by families and children as the 10th anniversary of the indoor smoking ban is marked.

On July 1, 2007, it became illegal to light up in indoor public spaces and workplaces across the UK, in a bid to protect workers and customers from the dangers of second-hand smoke.

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Research undertaken in the months which followed showed exposure for people working in bars and clubs had fallen by 95 per cent.

Over the last seven years, the number of smokers in Nottinghamshire has fallen from more than 20 per cent in 2010 to under 16 per cent last year, in line with national trends.

However, Nottinghamshire County Council, which has made the call, says smoking remains the single biggest risk to public health and is the number one cause of preventable ill health and early death.

Councillor Stuart Wallace, council public health chairman, said: “We are pleased at the progress made since this landmark legislation was introduced a decade ago, but we are determined we can do even more to help our residents enjoy longer, healthier, happier smokefree lives.

“We’re working closely with all our partners to introduce smoke-free places especially in public spaces around children and families.

“Our aim is to help take smoking out of the sight of children, so they don’t consider taking up the habit as they get older.

“ We need to break the cycle of generations in the same family smoking, because children are three times more likely to smoke if their parents do.

“Although there are more people in Nottinghamshire quitting than ever before, many of our residents continue to smoke, and we need to get the message across that now is the best time to go smoke-free, not just for ourselves but also for the sake of the next generation.”

Smokefree events across Nottinghamshire& Nottingham this summer include the Robin Hood Festival at Sherwood Forest and Active Ashfield Xtreme Games.