Policy Hub
On 13 December 2004, the full research and consultation findings used by the Scottish Executive (SE) to inform their decision on smoking in public places were published.
Based on a wide-ranging consultation on the issue, the response was unprecedented and overwhelming - almost 54,000 responses, a clear majority of which were in favour of legislation.
Smoking kills an average of 13,000 Scots every year and is responsible for thousands more hospitals admissions. In 2002, it was thought that around 1.15 million people (aged 16 and over) smoked - just over 28 per cent of the population. It is estimated that at least 20-25 per cent of all deaths in Scotland result from smoking. Scotland has the highest rates of lung cancer in Europe for both men and women, with most cases caused by smoking.
Research has shown that the potential health gain from a ban is enormous. For example, smoking rates in New York fell by two per cent within a year of a ban being introduced and in Ireland, 7,000 people are thought to have quit in the first six months of their ban.
Alongside the public consultation, the SE commissioned several pieces of research into the impact of passive smoking in Scotland, including the potential impact of banning or restricting smoking in enclosed public places.
These reports can be accessed on the Scottish Executive's website.