Smoking Control in Girls injurious for Heath Insurance

The World Heart Federation is urging Geneva to vote on February 24th to ban smoking in bars and restaurants. Following recent smoking bans in France, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom, it is hoped Geneva will follow the example set by fellow Swiss cantons Ticino and Soleure and put an end to smoking in public places .


Major cause of cardiac death


Heart disease and stroke is Switzerland's number one cause of death and it is estimated that smoking increases the risk by 100 per cent, while the risk of death from undiagnosed coronary heart disease is increased by 300 per cent2. Furthermore, there is overwhelming consensus among medical and scientific authorities that passive smoking is a major cause of disease in non-smokers, including coronary heart disease and cardiac death as well as lung cancer3.


No safe level


Since 2003, when the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) was unanimously adopted by World Health Organization member states4, it has been universally acknowledged that the only way to protect the public from second-hand smoke is comprehensive smoke-free air laws.


"There is no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke," says Janet VoГ»te of the Geneva-based World Heart Federation. "The right of a person to breathe clean air takes precedence over any possible right of smokers to pollute the air other people breathe. This is not about whether smokers smoke, it is about where they smoke."


Smoke-free air laws popular


Smoke-free air laws have proved popular, effective and well respected all over the world. In New Zealand support for smoke-free bars, pubs and nightclubs rose from 61 per cent in 2004 to 81 per cent in 20065. In Ireland the smoke-free law was supported by 93 per cent of the population in 2005, compared with 67 per cent immediately before the law was introduced6.


Reduction in heart attack hospital admissions


In Scotland, post-implementation studies of its ban showed a 17 per cent reduction in heart attack admissions to nine major Scottish hospitals7. One study comparing air quality before and after implementation found an 86 per cent improvement in bars and a 39 per cent reduction in second-hand smoke exposure in non-smoking adults and children8.