Smoking bans linked to fewer heart attacks and strokes

ConclusionThere is no doubt that tobacco smoking harms health and causes a great deal of disease and death. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that tobacco is responsible for one in 10 adult deaths worldwide.The question is whether smoking bans can help reduce the harm caused by tobacco. This summary of research suggests they can, particularly for people who are non-smokers. While it's hard to get good-quality evidence about the effects of smoking bans, comparisons of data from hospitals and national registries before and after a ban is helpful. However, we can't be sure the effects being measured are solely down to the smoking ban. For example, bans on trans fats in foods in some countries could also have contributed to a drop in heart attacks and stroke. However, it's useful to have information from lots of different countries, all showing similar trends over time. The evidence around the numbers of people who stop smoking after a smoking ban is disappointing, but the researchers point out that smoking bans are only one way to encourage people to quit. If the effects of a smoking ban are simply to protect people who don't smoke from the harmful effects of tobacco, that is still a big improvement. Read more information and support about how to give up smoking.  Links To The Headlines Smoking ban sees 40 per cent cut in heart attacks in UK since 2007 law was introduced. The Telegraph, February 4 2016Smoking bans reduce harm from passive smoking, study finds. The ...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Heart/lungs Lifestyle/exercise Source Type: news