Scots smoke ban 'improved health'

A 20% reduction in heart attacks.

There is the demographic evidence that tobacco smoking causes heart
diseases.

It is odd that cannabis is claimed to cause schizophrenia in those
vulnerable to it, but the schizophrenia rate has not changed over the last
50 years, whereas cannabis use has rocketed.

The only conclusion must be that cannabis does not cause schizophrenia. If
it did, we would see schizophrenia rates varying in time with cannabis use
rates, as we have seen with tobacco.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6986554.stm

Scots smoke ban 'improved health'

The Scottish smoking ban has led to a significant advance in public
health, the most detailed scientific study of the measure so far has
suggested.

Comparisons at nine hospitals revealed that there was a 17% year-on-year
drop in heart attack admissions since the ban was introduced in March
2006.

It said the quality of air in pubs is now equivalent to that found
outdoors.

Exposure to second-hand smoke north of the border is down by 40% among
adults and children, the study added.

The findings will be presented to an international conference in Edinburgh
on the ban organised by the Scottish Government.

They are based on scientific evidence collected from routine health data,
as well as research projects undertaken by government scientists and
Scottish universities.

Admissions to nine major Scottish hospitals were also compared in the year
before and after the introduction of the ban.

Scotland's deputy chief medical officer, Professor Peter Donnelly, said
they were proof that the ban had produced major health gains.

	The primary aim of smoking bans is to protect non smokers from the
	effects of passive smoking
	Professor Jill Pell

But Scottish publicans claim that many of the benefits could have been
achieved without a ban and complain that bar sales have declined because
of it.

More than 2,000 primary school children and adults aged between 18 and
74-years-old from 74 postcode areas took part in the research.

Professor Jill Pell, who headed the research team which made the findings,
said: "The primary aim of smoking bans is to protect non-smokers from the
effects of passive smoking.

"Previous studies have not been able to confirm whether or not that has
been achieved. What we were able to show is that among people who are
non-smokers there was a 20% reduction in heart attack admissions.

"This confirms that the legislation has been effective in helping
non-smokers."

The main findings of the study were;

    * The ban has reduced second hand smoke exposure in both children and
    adults.

    * Among primary school children, levels of a by-product of nicotine
    fell by more than a third (39%) following the ban.

    * In adults, cotinine levels fell by almost half (49%) in non-smokers
    from non-smoking households.

    * Non-smokers living in smoking households continued to have high
    levels of second hand smoke exposure in the home.

    * And the authors suggest that further action is urgently required to
    support smoking households to implement smoke-free homes and cars.

Ash Scotland chief executive Maureen Moore welcomed the research.

She said: "The ban on smoking in public places provides everyone in
Scotland with effective protection from the harmful effects of second-hand
smoke and was a courageous move taken by the Scottish Parliament.

¿That decision has now been shown to be paying dividends for everyone
living in Scotland."

After the Scotland banned smoking in enclosed public spaces, Wales and
Northern Ireland followed suit in April 2007 and England did the same in
July 2007.

-- 
Dr John Watson
Baker Street

date: Mon, 10 Sep 2007 11:29:33 +0100 author: Dr John Watson