Shahab, L;
West, R;
(2010)
Public support in England for a total ban on the sale of tobacco products.
Tobacco Control
, 19
(2)
143 - 147.
10.1136/tc.2009.033415.
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Abstract
Background This study aimed to determine the level of support for a sales ban on tobacco in England to provide a benchmark against which any changes over time can be assessed.Methods 8735 people from England who participated in one of five monthly cross-sectional household surveys in 2008 were asked to indicate whether they would support the statement that 'the government should work towards banning the sale of tobacco completely within the next 10 years'. In addition, sociodemographic and smoking characteristics were assessed.Results A substantial proportion of the total sample (44.5%; 95% CI 43.5% to 45.6%) would support a move towards a complete ban. While never smokers (OR 2.02; 95% CI 1.82 to 2.25) and ex-smokers (OR 1.41; 95% CI 1.21 to 1.65) were more likely to support this idea, even among current smokers, a third would favour moving towards a sales ban of tobacco products. Adjusting for other background characteristics, younger, female participants, those living in London and those from lower socioeconomic groups were most likely to support a ban. Among smokers, a higher cigarette consumption, smoking enjoyment and contentment with being a smoker were associated with opposition to a ban, while feeling uncomfortable being a smoker, wanting to be a non-smoker and being worried about future health consequences of smoking were associated with support for a ban.Conclusion Support for movement towards a ban on the sale of tobacco is higher than might be imagined. It is conceivable that as smoking prevalence falls further and smoking becomes more socially unacceptable, support might grow to a point where such a policy could become feasible.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Public support in England for a total ban on the sale of tobacco products |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1136/tc.2009.033415 |
| Publisher version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/tc.2009.033415 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This article has been accepted for publication in Tobacco Control. The definitive copyedited, typeset version Shahab, L and West, R (2010) Public support in England for a total ban on the sale of tobacco products. Tobacco Control, 19 (2) 143 – 147 is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/tc.2009.033415 |
| Keywords: | CIGARETTES, SMOKING, PROHIBITION, PREVALENCE, POLICIES, HEALTH |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health > Behavioural Science and Health |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/152361 |
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