IRELAND’S PIONEERING ban on smoking in the workplace is helping addicts kick the habit and encouraging more people to go to the pub. It may also be an aid in the dating game, according to Ireland’s health minister.

Three months ago, Ireland became the first country in Europe to impose an outright ban on smoking in the workplace. The ban makes it an offence to smoke in workplaces, which has the effect of making bars and restaurants smoke-free zones. People driving company vehicles are also covered by the ban. However, prisons, nursing homes, psychiatric hospitals, hospices and hotel and guesthouse bedrooms are exempt.

A fine of up to €3,000 will be imposed on any person found guilty of breaching the law. The owner, manager or person in charge of a workplace is legally responsible for ensuring compliance with the ban. Although a team of 400 inspectors is policing the law, there have been no prosecutions to date. However, a stricter approach has been promised after an initial “settling-in” phase. The minister originally intended to put it in place for January 1 of this year, but its introduction had to be delayed to accommodate certain exemptions
to allow for sufficient notice to be given to the EU before the new rules. It was brought in on March 29.

Around 7,000 deaths each year in Ireland can be attributed to smoking, according to the minister for health Micheál Martin, who described the ban as “a positive, progressive health and safety measure, which will bestow positive benefits to workers and the general public”.

On a visit to Norway – which, on June 1, became the second nation in the world to outlaw smoking in bars and restaurants – Martin, said the ban was working well.

“People in Ireland are adjusting to the smoke-free at work initiative, just as they did when cinemas, theatres, hairdressing salons, aircraft and numerous other settings went smoke-free in the past,” the minister stated. Anecdotal evidence has indicated that people congregating outside pubs and clubs have found the smoking ban the ideal excuse for a late-night chat up, according to the minister. “Outdoors is apparently the place to touch base, to make contact,” he explained.

The first high profile flaunting of the ban was a nicotine-starved opposition TD who lit up in the Dáil bar one day after the introduction of the ban. It cost him his front bench position. However, research released at the end of May, indicates that there has been widespread acceptance of the measure. According to the report compiled by the Office of Tobacco Control about the first month of the ban, there has been very high compliance; in 97 per cent of premises inspected, no one was smoking and there was no evidence of smoking.

More interestingly, the body re-ported that since the introduction of the new law, 99 per cent of those surveyed either smoked outside the pub or did not smoke at all. Significantly, almost one in five smokers chose not to smoke at all when out socialising.

Dr Luke Clancy, chairman of the anti-smoking lobby ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) and a consultant respiratory physician, said benefits from the ban are manifold.

“Most countries have strict rules regarding asbestos and smoke is at least as dangerous as asbestos. It is now accepted that smoke is a carcinogen and there was therefore a duty of care to protect workers from its actions. However, the ban will have other implications. It is definitely encouraging people to give up or at least prompting them to smoke less. I believe that many young people who start smoking do so in pubs. This ban will have the effect of stopping them taking up the habit.”

Dr Clancy expressed his delight at the new compliance figures, which he said were beyond all expectations.

“Even in the US, compliance figures of 95 per cent were regarded as very high. So to come in at 97 per cent is phenomenal. I am hearing that even in rural bars where there is after hours drinking going on, people are still going outside to have a cigarette. This is great. People are going outside to smoke even when they are illegally drinking inside. They are doing this in deference to the workers inside, which shows a change in mindset.”

Before its introduction, the hospitality industry campaigned aggressively against the ban, including some publicans from the health minister’s own party. The Irish Hospitality Industry Alliance said the ban could cost 65,000 jobs and the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) said the ban was unworkable. Some publicans said they would not implement it.

However, soon outdoor heaters and canopied smoking areas were introduced to make alfresco smoking more comfort-able for patrons. One pub, Johnny Fox’s on the outskirts of Dublin, renovated a 1950s double-decker bus, equipping it with heaters and ashtrays and placed it in the car park for smoking customers.

Market research, carried out by the Office of Tobacco Control, indicates that the number of non-smokers visiting pubs has increased slightly (by three per cent) since the introduction of the new law, while the number of smokers visiting has remained the same.

Despite this the VFI is still calling on the minister to introduce a waiver of the ban for pubs that have experienced a serious loss in business as a result of the legislation.

They say that many small, rural, family-owned pubs have been hit particularly hard since the introduction of the ban and have serious concerns for their livelihoods and future.

“Daytime trade has dropped off considerably and many customers now arrive later and stay for shorter periods. Once the summer season ends and the weather becomes more inclement, further loss of business is inevitable. Members located in border counties have been particularly hard hit with many customers opting to take their business to the ‘smoking side of town’. We have also seen a significant drop-off in employment right around the country,” said Joe Browne, outgoing President of the VFI.

“We are calling on the minister to introduce a system whereby those publicans who can prove a specific level of economic hardship would be eligible for a waiver from the ban to allow them to provide some limited facilities for customers. The minister must act before these businesses are completely devastated.”

Although tourist results for the first quarter indicate that the number of visitors to Ireland increased by over eight per cent, these figures are pre-smoking ban and all eyes will be on figures for the next quarter. However, the ban was being used as a marketing device to attract more visitors to the capital city. “Dublin – A Breath of Fresh Air” was the slogan adopted by the tourism industry to increase visitor numbers.

Following the successful launch of the smoking ban, Martin indicated that he would next turn his attention to curbing binge drinking. With the percentage of Irish people who drink alcohol on a regular basis more than double the EU average, it looks like he has another battle on his hands.