There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke, and comprehensive smoke-free laws are the only effective means of eliminating the risks associated with smoking. Smoke-free legislation works. However, in order to correctly portray its impact, indicators should not be measured prematurely.
The World Health Organisation’s WHO/Europe evidence brief, “How can we best protect non-smokers from exposure to tobacco smoke?” evaluates the impact of smoke-free policies in the nine European Member States that have introduced comprehensive, smoke-free legislation.
In summary, comprehensive smoke-free policies:
- protect employees by reducing exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke in workplaces and public places;
- can reduce mortality and morbidity from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke within a few months of implementation;
- can cause a shift in beliefs and personal choices relating to rules about smoking in private places;
- can lower the prevalence of smoking and smoking-related behaviour;
- result in considerable savings for the health system;
- do not result in economic loss, as revenues from tobacco taxes can be maintained or even increased; and
- do not deter tourism.
Introducing comprehensive smoke-free policies is a step towards the vision of a tobacco-free European Region set down in the Ashgabat Declaration. Protection from exposure to tobacco smoke is also a key obligation under Article 8 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and its guidelines.