Smoke Free Haringey

From 1 July 2007 all enclosed public spaces in England and Wales must be smoke free.

This includes:

• Pubs
• Clubs
• Shops
• Work places
• Public transport
• Work vehicles
• Cafes
• Restaurants

Smokefree England - What it means for the public

A law, the Health Act 2006, requiring smokefree environments in virtually all workplaces came into effect 1 July 2007.  It ensures that all workers and members of the public are protected from the harm caused by tobacco smoke or secondhand smoke.

What is the evidence in support of the legislation?

The new smokefree law was introduced to protect employees and the public from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is a serious health hazard, and there is no safe level of exposure. Every time someone breaths in secondhand smoke, they breath in over 4,000 chemicals. Many are highly toxic. More than 50 are known to cause cancer.

What are the risks associated with secondhand smoke?

Medical and scientific evidence shows that the people exposed to secondhand smoke have an increased risk of medical conditions such as lung cancer, heart disease, asthma attacks, childhood respiratory disease, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and reduced lung function.

Why is smoking banned in enclosed places?

Scientific evidence show that ventilation does not eliminate the risks to health of secondhand smoke in enclosed places. The only way to provide effective protection is to prevent people breathing in this smoke in the first place. This is why the Government has introduced the new smokefree law. It is estimated that the law will save thousands of lives over the next decade, and help create cleaner and healthier environments for everyone to work in or visit.

What is the health case for this legislation?

The health case for this legislation is clear: making enclosed workplaces and public places smokefree will provide protection from a range of serious medical conditions.

This is because exposure to secondhand smoke, in the long term, increases the risk of a non-smoker developing lung cancer and heart disease by around 25 per cent, and in the short term – after just 30 minutes – the blood becomes stickier increasing the risk of blood clots and stroke.

There are over five million people with asthma in the UK and 80 per cent find that secondhand smoke worsens their symptoms and can trigger asthma attacks.

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Further information

For more information on this subject visit the Smokefree England website (see the external links section below).
Or you may like to contact our Smoke free Co-ordinator at

The Smoke Free Co-ordinator
Commercial Services
Urban Environment
Units 271-272
Lee Valley Technopark
Ashley Road
Tottenham
London N17 9LN

Tel  020 8489 5187
Fax 020 8489 5528

Useful External Links

The following links are not part of the Haringey Council website. Please read our legal disclaimer before using these links

• Smoke Free England
• NHS Quit Smoking Service

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