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3,726 lives saved by introducing the smoking ban in 2004
Ireland was the first country in the world to ban smoking in workplaces including restaurants, bars, and pubs.
A NEW STUDY has shown that around 3,726 lives are estimated to have been saved by introducing a smoking ban in Ireland.
The ban came into effect on 29 March, 2004, with Ireland becoming the first country in the world to introduce the comprehensive legislation banning smoking in workplaces including restaurants, bars, and pubs.
Immediately after the ban was introduced, the study by authors at Brunel University, London found that there was a 13 per cent decrease in all types of death, a 26 per cent reduction in ischemic heart disease, a 32 per cent reduction in stroke and a 38 per cent reduction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The authors of the study put down the decreases in the amount of deaths to reductions in passive smoking.
Studies in pubs and bars also showed reductions in particulate concentrations of smoke, reductions in worker-reported exposure to second-hand smoke, and related improvements in worker pulmonary function and self-reported respiratory symptoms.
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