Public places smoke-free?

Press, 30 May 1989, Page 6

Public places smoke-free?

By

SARAH SANDS

The National Heart Foundation has urged the Government to proceed with legislation against smoking in public places because of the link between passive smoking and heart disease. The foundation’s medical director, Dr David Hay, said the foundation’s scientific committee believed there was an important association between passive smoking and coronary heart disease. A number of studies showed that non-smokers with smoking spouses had a 20 to 30 per cent higher risk of coronary heart attacks than those with non-smoking" spouses, he said. "In absolute numbers, this may mean that several hundred deaths from coronary disease might result annually from longterm exposure to other peqhle’s smoke," said Dr..l Hay.

“We accept that continued research is needed but we believe the evidence coming in is sufficiently important to justify prevention measures aimed at reducing exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. “The foundation regards the prevention of involuntary smoking as an important priority in its non-smoking policy.” The Minister of Health, Ms Clark, should proceed with plans to legislate against smoking in public places, restaurants and in the work place, said Dr Hay.o Non-smoking spouses of' smokers should persuade their partners to quit or suggest they went ouside if they wanted to smoke, he said. “It is no longer only the smoker who is at risk, but those who through no desire of their own are obliged to inhale the L second-hand smoke pro- ■“ duced by others.”