Pub workers in the Republic of Ireland have experienced an 80% drop in second-hand smoke exposure since the introduction of the country’s smoking ban.

New research published by the British Medical Journal compared pub workers’ exposure to second-hand smoke across three regions of Ireland before and after the country’s total smoking ban in enclosed public spaces started in March 2004.

The study, which examined 329 bar and pub workers in total, found a significant drop in smoke exposure in bar workers.

In summary, the authors of the report, mainly Irish academics, said this strongly demonstrated the smoke-free law had helped provide significant protection for a historically heavily exposed group.

They added: “The reduced exposure has led to a decline in respiratory and sensory symptoms in non-smokers.”

• Baroness Neuberger claimed in the House of Lords yesterday that the overwhelming evidence of health benefits highlighted in the BMJ research meant a full-ban should be the only option for England. Lord Faulkner of Worcester also suggested it would be very strange to have different smoking laws in different parts of the UK. A government representative said peers would have to wait for the publishing of the forthcoming smoking bill to find out the Government’s final decision.

By Kerstin Kühn

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