Looming smoking ban prompts many to quit

Despite the fact that British scientists were among the first to identify the health risks of smoking, such as lung cancer, the British have been slow in kicking the habit.

The decision by the House of Commons in February to ban smoking in all pubs, clubs and workplaces will come into effect by mid-2007.

That according to a recent poll, appears to have already made more people want to quit the habit.

According to a survey of British doctors, released to coincide with No Smoking Day, the future change in the law is already having an impact, and one in five GPs has reported an increase in the number of patients asking about quitting.

Robert West, director of tobacco studies at Cancer Research UK, believes the great majority of smokers want to give up and the findings reflect the importance of new government policies in triggering action.

The bill was passed by a huge majority on February 14th after a vigorous campaign by health groups.

Ireland banned smoking in restaurants, pubs and workplaces in 2004 and six other countries imposed bans of varying severity in 2005.

The ban will bring England in line with the rest of Britain as Scotland goes smoke-free at the end of this month and a ban in Northern Ireland is expected to start in April 2007, while a ban in Wales is expected in mid 2007.

The charity No Smoking Day expects a record five million smokers to try to kick the habit for good on March 8th, the national awareness day.

The campaign group ASH says as increasing numbers of workplaces become smoke-free in advance of next year's law, smokers should take advantage of the support that No Smoking Day provides in quitting now.

It is estimated that 12 million people of the country's 60 million people are smokers.