Most want complete smoking ban, study says

The majority of people in England and Wales back a complete ban on smoking in workplaces, a new survey has suggested.

Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) and Cancer Research UK said 73% of the 1,000 people they surveyed said a ban should be applied without exception.

The poll comes ahead of the Health Improvement and Protection Bill, due before Parliament in November.

The government has proposed exempting private clubs and pubs not serving prepared food from the legislation.

The poll also found that 85% of those surveyed would patronize bars and pubs at least as often if they were smoke-free, reports BBC.

According to Daily Mail, ASH director Deborah Arnott said: "The public wants action to end second-hand smoke at work. It now kills more than 600 people at work every year three times the number of deaths from industrial accidents. And it causes many thousands of asthma attacks and episodes of illness.

"The pointless and damaging exemptions for pubs and clubs must be dropped from the final Bill. Smoke-free legislation must be comprehensive if it is to be successful."

The hospitality industry has nothing to fear from a ban, campaigners claimed.