passive smoking or the pollution of non-smokers by smokers

"EUROPE AGAINST CANCER""L'EUROPE CONTRE LE CANCER"

Passive smoking or the pollution of non-smokers by smokers

Main conclusions of a survey carried out in the 12 Member States of the E.C. on 12 800 persons aged15 and over - Autumn 1992

(Supplement to Euro-barometer n°38)(Doc. 05/5480/93-Eng)

05/5480/93 EN Orig. FRad/am

Brussels,26/03/1993.

PASSIVE SMOKING OR THE POLLUTION OF NON-SMOKERS BYSMOKERS

In terms of prevention, the primary aim of the "Europe against cancer" programme isto discourage smoking: "Don't smoke. Smokers, give it up as soon as possible and don'tmake your smoke a nuisance to others".

Nowadays hardly anyone - not even the heaviest smokers - have any doubts as to therisks of smoking and that the more one smokes the greater the risks. However, it is onlyrecently that several studies and scientific discussions have focused on the consequencesto health of "passive smoking", i.e. the breathing by non-smokers of air polluted bytobacco smoke. In the wake of substantial research, what was hitherto considered asa minor nuisance is henceforth seen as a factor of risk, particularly in the contraction oflung cancer by adult non-smokers, and serious respiratory diseases in young children.'

It is in response to this concern and in order to provide the players involved in the fightagainst tobacco addiction with new information which is soundly based and can becompared at European level, that a sample survey was conducted in autumn 1992 in the12 Member States of the European Community. The main results of this survey arepresented below2.

1 Passive smoking can also give rise in children to chronic middle ear problems;recent studies point to a link between this form of pollution and heart disease.Furthermore, passive smoking can exasperate existing conditions such as asthma.See "Passive Smoking, a Health Hazard", Imperial Cancer Research Fundand Cancer Research Campaign. London, 1991.

2 -Survey based on a questionnaire completed orally by professional enumeratorsreporting on 12 800 persons aged 15 and over and subdivided into 12representative samples. Twelve national institutes, coordinated by INRA-Europe(Brussels), took pan in this survey which was carried out as a supplement toEuro-Barometer No 38 and complied with the technical and professional standardsrequired of this type of research (See annex).The same survey covered subjects related to the main theme: the situation of thesmoker, the desire or intention to slop smoking, attitudes to a ban on advertisingof tobacco products, etc. An overall report will be submitted later .

05/5480/93 EN Orig. FP.ad/am

I. WHAT IS PASSIVE SMOKING?

Question:

"We sometimes hear about 'passive smoking' or 'involuntary smoking'. Have youpersonally read or heard anything on this subject ? "

This first question, put as it is without any further explanation, elicited an affirmativeanswer from eight out of ten Europeans (78%), but with fairly significant differencesfrom one country to another4:

- 97% in Denmark and 92% in Germany;- 59% in France and 54% in Portugal.

These replies do not vary from one country to another as a function of the percentageof people who smoke or, at individual level, depending on whether respondents aresmokers or non-smokers.

In terms of familiarity with the expression, the determining variable is the level ofeducation5.

(See Table 1 attached).

Question:

"What is referred to as 'passive' or 'involuntary' smoking is to be exposed to otherpeople's smoke. Whether you are a smoker or not, does this happen to you personaltyoften, occasionally, seldom or never?"

The answers to this second question, which is more pointed in that it is preceded by anexplanatory introduction, offer substantially less diversity than those to the previousquestion: eight Europeans out of ten (79%) answer that it happens to them 'often' (39%)or 'occassionally' (40%).

4 By "Europeans" we mean the weighted total of persons questioned in the twelvecountries of the EC.

5 The level of education is measured in this survey by age at end of full-timestudies i.e. up to 15, 16-19, 20 and over, including those who are still studying.

- 2 -


EXPOSURE TO PASSIVE SMOKING(The Community as a whole)

Exposed...often 39

79%occasionally 40

seldom 1520%

never 5

No answer given l

Total 100%

The most exposed or at least those who most claim to be exposed "often" are the Greeks,Spaniards and Italians. At individual level, a significant link emerges between the factof being a smoker and particularly a heavy smoker (25 cigarettes per day or more) andfrequent exposure to the smoke of others. This seems logical enough inasmuch assmokers no doubt tend to do so in their own company and this is corroborated elsewherealthough it tells us as yet nothing as to how smokers and non-smokers respectively feelabout being exposed to other people's smoke.


Before moving on to this very important aspect of social life, let us examine the answersto a series of questions on what could be called the smoking environment, the questionsbeing put to smokers and non-smokers alike.

II. THE SMOKING ENVIRONMENT

Question:

"Are there any smokers, or not,...

...at home. in your house

... among your friends

...at your place of work (workshop, office, business, etc.)

...on journeys you make (car, bus, train, etc.)

...in places, outside your own home, where you go for a meal, a drink or a snack

...in other public places you regularly frequent.

This series of questions covers such a wide range of situations that hardly anyone is leftout, whether smoker or non-smoker, but what is interesting is to examine thecircumstances.

- 3 -


The most common times for finding oneself among smokers are, for all Europeans:

- outside one's own home (restaurants, bars, canteens, etc.) 86%

- in company 85 %

- in various public places 82%

- when travelling 63 %

- at the place of work 55%

- at home 43%

The fact that certain of the people questioned have no occupation or do not move aroundas much as others obviously accounts for these differences. And even allowing for thefact that everyone or nearly everyone has a "home", due account has to be taken of thefact that a by no means negligible percentage of people live alone.

Be that as it may, the information that emerges from a comparison of the replies fromsmokers and from non-smokers is interesting. The biggest difference is observed "athome", where there are two and a half times as many smokers as non-smokers whoclaim to have one or more smokers at home; the difference is also significant at the placeof work, in company and in transport. In other words, smokers have a greatertendency than non-smokers to be in situations where they find themselves amongother smokers.


It remains to be seen how both groups react to other people's smoke. This problem wastackled by means of a number of questions:

the perception of other people's smoke: a nuisance or comparatively pleasant;

the impact on the health of a non-smoker attributed to other people's smoke: nodanger or likely to cause serious illnesses such as cancer.

In addition, two pairs of symmetrical questions were put to smokers and non-smokersrespectively, and the answers given will be examined later.

(See paragraph 4).

- 4


III. VIEWS ON OTHER PEOPLE'S SMOKE

Question:

"Would you say that other people's smoke- is quite pleasant- doesn 't bother you- bothers you slightly- bothers you a lot- is really harmful to you ?"

For the Community as a whole, with an average of 35% of smokers among the adultpopulation, opinions break down roughly into three parts: 34% maintaining they are notbothered, 31% mildly bothered and 34% seriously bothered.

VIEWS ON OTHER PEOPLE'S SMOKE(Total Community)

Other people's smoke is...

.... quite pleasant

.... not a nuisance

.... a mild nuisance

.... a great nuisance

.... very harmful

No reply

Total

2

32

31

24

10

1

100%

34%

34%

If separate account is taken for those who claim that other people's smoke bothers them"slightly", it can be seen that acceptance or refusal of other people's smoke balance outin the Community as a whole. However, this masks differences which may beconsiderable from country to country.

- 5 -


The balance tilts in favour of acceptance in Ireland, Denmark, and, to a lesser extent,the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Germany6 and towards rejection in Portugal,Greece and Italy. The negative and positive reactions cancel each other out more or lessin the other countries.

The determining variable is predictably the fact of being a smoker or a non-smoker:

- 67% of European smokers are not bothered by other people's smoke and asmall minority even finds it pleasant, a view shared by only 16% of non-smokers;

- conversely 7% only of smokers are annoyed or seriously bothered in thecompany of smokers, compared with 49% of non-smokers.

In other words, let us note, if no account is taken of the average response ("otherpeople's smoke bothers me slightly"), which is difficult to interpret clearly insofar as itcomes from a quarter of smokers and over one third of non-smokers, it can bemaintained that smokers are four times as ready as non-smokers to accept otherpeople's smoke, but that non-smokers are more likely to be annoyed or bothered byenvironmental tobacco smoke in the by a ratio of seven to one.

It should be noted that these non-smokers make up the majority of the adult populationin the Community overall and in each of its Member States.


Another question confirms this very marked difference of opinion between smokers andnon-smokers, this time on the subject of the hazards of tobacco to the health of non-smokers.

Question:

"Do you think that. f o r the non-smoker, other people's smoke is harmless, can causediscomfort, or can in the long term even cause serious illnesses such as cancer ?"

Nearly one European out of three (32%) feels that other people's smoke can causediscomfort and over half (52%) that it can in the long term even cause serious illnessessuch as cancer.

6 These results for Germany differ significantly depending on whether the formerFederal Republic of Germany - where the scales tip in favour of accepting otherpeople's smoke - is considered, or former East Germany, which moves in theopposite direction.

- 6 -


THE HAZARD TO THE NON-SMOKER FROM OTHER PEOPLE'S SMOKE(Total Community) .

Other people's smoke...

.... is harmless 5

.... can cause discomfort 32

.... can in the long term even cause seriousillnesses such as cancer 52

It depends (spontaneous response) 7

Don't know 4

Total 100%

The view that other people's smoke is not only a nuisance, but harmful, to the non-smoker is therefore very widespread, and this is true of all countries withoutexception. The only substantial difference between countries relates to the respectiveproportions of "discomfort" replies and "serious illnesses such as cancer" replies. Thelatter ;' borne out by the experience of specialists in this field - arc predominant inLuxembourg, the United Kingdom, as well as in France, Germany, Italy and Greece.

Once again, the fact of being a smoker or a non-smoker is the determining variable:

- an equal proportion of smokers (nearly 40% in each case) feel that otherpeople's smoke can cause discomfort to the non-smoker or even provokeserious illnesses;

- among non-smokers, there are twice the number of unambiguous replies(serious illnesses: 59%) than played-down replies (discomfort: 28%).


The answers to these two questions concerning other people's smoke thus illustrate thateven if a small minority of smokers are annoyed or bothered in the company of smokers,nearly eight smokers out of ten are aware of the harm tobacco smoking can do tonon-smokers.

Let us now consider what the respective behavioural patterns of both categories are orat least how they see it.

- 7 -

05/5480/93 EN Orig. PRad/am

IV. RELATIONS BETWEEN SMOKERS AND NON-SMOKERS

IV.l Refraining from smoking or asking a smoker not to smoke.

Question to smokers: "Do you ever refrain from smoking out of consideration for others?Does this happen often, occasionally, seldom or never?"

Open question (to smokers and non-smokers alike): "Do you ever ask a smoker not tosmoke near you because it bothers you ? Does this happen often, occasionally, seldom ornever?"

The first of these two questions was put only to smokers and was designed to gauge theirlevel of courtesy in relation to people around them (smokers and non-smokers).

The second question, symmetrical to the first, but relating to the fact of asking a smokerto refrain from smoking, was put to both categories, smokers and non-smokers.

SMOKERS REFRAINING FROM SMOKING AND SMOKERSAND NON-SMOKERS ASKING A SMOKER NOT TO SMOKE

(Total Community)

Smokers refraining from Smokers or non-smokerssmoking out of consideration asking a smoker not tofor others smoke in order not to

suffer discomfort

Smoker's replies Non-smoker' s replies

This happens...

... frequently

... occasionally:

... seldom

... never

Don't know

Total(Base)

3372%

39

1716%

9

2

100%(4478)

211%

9

1388%

75

1

100%(4478)

1338%

25

2162%

41

-

100%(8298)

Smokers apparently see themselves in a good light, for over seven out of ten (72%)claim to refrain "frequently" (33%) or "occasionally" (39%) out of consideration forothers.

- 8 -


With 54% claiming to refrain from smoking "frequently" Danish smokers emerge fromthese replies as the most courteous, and German smokers by a long margin the mostinconsiderate.

Generally speaking, light smokers are significantly more considerate to people aroundthem than average or heavy smokers.


The symmetric question was put to both categories and the replies of smokers and non-smokers alike should be presented and analysed separately.

The replies from smokers and those from non-smokers are thus very different. This iseasily explainable; there is a son of mutual tolerance among smokers. Taking theCommunity as a whole there is an average of three and a half times as many non-smokers as smokers (38% compared with 11%) who claim to ask a smoker to refrainfrom smoking "frequently" or "occasionally".

Country to country differences are fairly marked, particularly as regards non-smokers.In Greece, for instance, 37% of non-smokers claim to "frequently" ask a smoker torefrain from smoking, a percentage which is under 10% in the United Kingdom, Ireland,Denmark and Belgium. In general, people who have never smoked are slightly moreeager than former smokers to protect their surroundings against environmental tobaccosmoke.

If in an attempt to better circumscribe relations between smokers and non-smokers weexamine the previous results, we have to observe that over seven smokers out of ten(72%) claim to be courteous enough to "frequently" or "occasionally" refrain fromsmoking out of consideration for others, while fewer than four non-smokers out of ten(38%) are forthright enough to "frequently" or "occasionally" ask a smoker not tosmoke.

Admittedly, this type of comparison is not solid. For one thing, smokers may have atendency to overemphasise their concern to show consideration for non-smokers (or othersmokers), but it is also a fact that non-smokers have undoubtedly good reason not to darechallenge a smoker (particularly in places where the subject is not covered by anyregulations) and ask him not to smoke.

The conclusion is that educating people in courtesy should, if it is to be effective,entail getting smokers to actually put into practice their claimed behaviour, andencouraging non-smokers to stand up for their rights more.


There is one other possibility as regards comparing the attitudes of smokers and non-smokers, what could be called the train compartment test.

- 9 -


FV.2 A smoker among non-smokers or a non-smoker among smokers: the traincompartment test

Question to smokers:"When you travel by train do you find it inconvenient to be in a no-smokingcompartment?"

Question to non-smokers:" When you travel by train do you find it inconvenient to be in a compartment wheresmoking is permitted?"

The answers from smokers and non-smokers to each of these questions are almostdiametrically opposed: nearly seven smokers out of ten (69%) find it "slightlyinconvenient" (15%) or "not inconvenient at all" (54%) to be in a non-smokingcompartment, while seven non-smokers out often (69%) consider it "very inconvenient"(48%) or "inconvenient" (21%) to be in a compartment where smoking is permitted.

THE TRAIN COMPARTMENT TEST(Total Community*)

Smokers in a "no-smoking" Non-smokers in acompartment "smoking permitted"

compartment

It is...

... very inconvenient 1330%

... inconvenient 17

... slightly inconvenient 15695

... not at all inconvenient 54

Don't know 1

Total 100%(Base) (3888)

4869%

21

1427%

13

4

100%(7566)

* Only people travelling by train.

Over and above the problem of basic courtesy, in relation to which we foundsmokers to be fairly well-disposed, it is clear that the vast majority of smokers areready to accept restrictions on the right to smoke on public transport such as thetrain. As for non-smokers, the vast majority are anxious to be able to travelwithout having to put up with tobacco smoke.

- 10-


There should therefore be broad consensus for appropriate regulations, and obviously notonly on the railways.

These respective attitudes of smokers and non-smokers vary somewhat from country tocountry, but the overall pattern remains the same everywhere:

- as regards smokers and travelling in a "no smoking" compartment it is feltslightly or not at all inconvenient mostly in Luxembourg, Denmark, theNetherlands and the United Kingdom;

- as regards non-smokers and travelling in a compartment where smoking ispermitted, it is felt to be inconvenient or very inconvenient mostly in Greece,Denmark, Portugal and Italy.

There appears to be no significant relation between either of these attitudes and theprevalence of the smoking habit in each country. However, the attitude of smokersshows no uniform pattern: there are six times more heavy smokers as light smokers whofind it "very inconvenient" to travel in a "no smoking" compartment; yet even in thissub-group of heavy smokers, those who find it "not at all inconvenient" slightlyoutnumber those who find it "very inconvenient".

(See Tables 7 and 8 attached).

V. SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES

This series of questions, which figured in the February-March 1992 survey, was againpresented in September-October of the same year:

Question:

- "Are you in favour of or opposed to regulations prohibiting smoking in publicplaces such as public transport, post offices, shops, schools, restaurants,etc. ?"

- "As far as you know, do such regulations already exist in public places whichyou yourself regularly frequent, such as public transport, post offices, shops,schools, restaurants, etc. ?"

- If so: "Do you feel thai these regulations are generally respected by smokersor not ?"

- 11 -


Opinion is generally very much in favour of regulations and is even making someheadway in a number of countries: Germany (+8 points), the Netherlands (+6), Greeceand the United Kingdom (+5); there being only one significant fall viz. Italy (-5 points).An average of over eight Europeans out of ten claim to be "strongly in favour" (55 %)or "in favour" (27%) of a ban on smoking in public places. Even seven out of tensmokers are in favour of such a ban7.

FOR OR AGAINST A BAN ON SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES(Total Community)

February-March 1992 September-October 1992

Strongly in favour

In favour

Against

Strongly against

Don't know

Total

5680%

24

1016%

6

4

100%

5582%

27

915%

6

3

100%


A second question in each of the two surveys looked at whether the people interviewedwere aware or not of such regulations in the public places they frequented regularly.

The general tendency is towards growing awareness, either because of a greater numberof public places where there was a ban on smoking, or because the subject had becomemore familiar through more widespread information.

7 The details of the results for February-March 1992 are given in the document"Europe against Cancer" dated 19 May 1992 and the report "Assessment of theeffects of information campaigns on the European public", Brussels, Sept. 1992.

12 -


PUBLIC AWARENESS OF REGULATIONSON A BAN ON SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES

(Total Community)


There are regulations...

... almost everywhere

... in many public places

... in some public places

There are no regulations anywhere

Don't know

1445%

31

40

10

5

1751%

34

34

9

6

Total 100% 100%

The increase is particularly keen in Greece, Spain, Denmark and Luxembourg.

There is less progress as regards opinions on the actual implementation of bans onsmoking in public places. Only in Germany and the Netherlands are the percentages ofpeople who feel that these bans are generally observed significantly up.

Once again it is generally in the countries of the north of the Community that it is widelyheld that rules and regulations are observed.

(See Table 10 attached and, as regards the February-March 1992 survey, the publicationsquoted above, footnote 7).

- 13-


VI. SMOKING AT WORK

A single question - the first of the following series - had been put on this subject in theFebruary March 1992 survey. Three others were added to this new exercise:

Questions:

- "In cases where smokers and non-smokers work in the same workshop oroffice, are you in favour of or opposed to stepts being taken to clearly definethose areas where people are allowed to smoke and those areas where smokingis not permitted?"

- "In your opinion, should such a problem preferably be settled by a directagreement between work colleagues or by a management decision ?"

- "If you currently work, are there in your place of work rules which defineareas where smoking is not allowed?"

- If there are: "Are the rules generally respected or not by the smokers?"

Nearly nine Europeans out of ten said they were "very much for" (58%) to the firstquestion or "to some extent for" (30%) clearly marked areas separating smokers andnon-smokers at work. The distribution of the replies is statistically identical in bothsurveys:

FOR OR AGAINST SEPARATE AREAS FOR SMOKERSAND NON-SMOKERS AT WORK

(TOTAL COMMUNITY)


Very much for

To some extent for

To some extent against

Very much against

Don't know

Total

5985%

26

710%

3

5

100%

5888%

30

68%

2

4

100%

- 14 -


The countries most in favour of regulation are the United Kingdom and Greece with 70%of "very much for", while at the other extreme comes Belgium (38% "very much for").Another significant feature is that on this point the replies given in the former EastGermany are far more clear-cut than those of the former Federal Republic ("very muchfor": 72% and 51% respectively).

Apart from these differences, which are difficult to explain, the determining variable isclearly once again the personal situation as a person as a smoker or a non-smoker;however, the gap is narrower than in the replies to the previous question concerning theban on smoking in public places.

(See Table 11 attached and the publications quoted above in footnote 7).

The principle of regulation is as we have just seen widely accepted and the majority ofpeople interviewed feel a problem of this kind should be settled by direct agreementbetween working colleagues rather than by a management decision. This majority variesaccording to the country concerned: 67% compared with 25% in Denmark; 40% and37% in Portugal. Generally speaking, smokers are more in favour of a consensus thannon-smokers.

DIRECT AGREEMENT OR MANAGEMENT DECISION(TOTAL COMMUNITY)

Direct agreement between work colleagues

Management decision

Either, it doesn't matter which (spontaneous reply)

Neither, as it is not a problem

Don't know

52

34

8

2

4

100%

(See Table 12 attached)

The last two questions on this subject were put only to people in employment i.e.approximately 50% of the reference population.*

8 As they relate to sub-samples, the figures must be interpretated cautiously.

- 15-


Just over four people out of ten (43%) of this occupational ly active population say thatthere are 'no smoking' areas at their places of work. This proportion varies enormouslyfrom one country to another, hardly surprising considering the differences in socio-economic structures across the Member States; British and Danish workers seem to bethe best protected in this context, while very few Spanish, Portuguese and Greek workersare protected by such measures against tobacco smoke at work.

The prevalent opinion among people who work in places where preventive measures havebeen implemented is that the rules are generally observed by smokers. Once againthough it is in the southern countries (Portugal, Italy, Spain and Greece) that rules aremore often flouted.

(See Table 13 attached)

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

This survey among 12.800 Europeans shows that the concept of what is called passiveor involuntary smoking is fairly familiar to the different publics, but slightly more so inthe northern countries such as Denmark and Germany and less so in the southerncountries such as Portugal. This is no doubt a reflection of the differences in the levelof education of the population. The vast majority of people interviewed state everywherethat they are "frequently" (39%) or "occasionally" (40%) exposed to other people'ssmoke. This exposure is particularly frequent outside their own homes (restaurants,bars, canteens, etc.), in company and in public places they regularly frequent. Reactionsto environmental tobacco smoke differ considerably from country to country, butparticularly as a function of personal status in relation to tobacco. Smokers and non-smokers constitute two separate universes even if neither is completely homogeneous.

Two examples relating to the European Community as a whole:

- one non-smoker out of two (49%) maintains other people's smoke is a nuisanceor very harmful; a small minority of smokers (7%) shares this concern;

- six non-smokers out of ten (59%) and four smokers (39%) out of ten feel thatother people's smoke can in the long term cause serious illnesses such ascancer.

******

Tobacco industry spokesmen have of course recently conducted campaigns in severalEEC countries appealing for mutual courtesy between smokers and non-smokers. Wheredo things actually stand? Judging by their replies, smokers see themselves in afavourable light and most of them (72%) claim they "frequently" (33%) or"occasionally" (39%) refrain from smoking out of consideration for others. Yet the factis that nearly twice as many "light smokers" (under 10 cigarettes a day) as "heavysmokers" (25 cigarettes daily or more) claim to do so "frequently". Does this man thatcourtesy declines as tobacco consumption rises?

- 16-


Looking at it the other way round, do non-smokers actually ask smokers not to smokein order not to be bothered? It does happen but rarely. Fewer than four non-smokersout of 10 (38%) say they do so "frequently" (13%) or, "occasionally" (25%).

In other words, smokers should be encouraged to practice the behaviour they claim andnon-smokers to stand up more for their rights.

The debates around regulation of tobacco smoking in public places and at work iscontinuing in most of our countries. There would appear to be widespread publicsupport for such regulatory measures, even among smokers, but to a lesser extent amongnon-smokers.

As for public places, just over half the people interviewed (51 %) say that there are suchregulations in nearly all the places they regularly frequent (17%) or in many places(24%). Certain countries such as the Netherlands seem to lead the field in this context,while others such as Germany are lagging behind. When regulations exist the extent towhich they are actually observed seems to differ considerably from country to country.Generally speaking it is the northern countries which most respect these regulations.

As for places of work, just over four people in employment out of ten (43%) say thatat their place of work steps have been taken to mark off separate areas for smokers andnon-smokers. There are very significant differences from country to country: the UnitedKingdom leads the field, while Spain, Portugal and Greece bring up the rear. When itcomes to adopting measures, most of the people interviewed - particularly if theythemselves smoke and these are the ones who least favour restrictions - would opt foran agreement between work colleagues rather than a management decision. Onceadopted, the restrictions seem in general to be observed by the smokers. It remains tobe seen whether an agreement between colleagues can be reached without any action bythe management, and conversely whether a management decision can be effective withoutopen discussion with the personnel.

Summing up, the majority of the population of the European Community - approximatelytwo thirds - is currently made up of non-smokers. The risks of tobacco smoking arebeginning to be, not merely familiar, but are also affecting behavioural patterns. On theother hand, there is a need still for a substantial information, education and, if necessary,a regulatory drive to eliminate or restrict the pollution originating in passive smoking.It is not so much the attitudes of the smokers themselves that stand in the way of thesuccess of such a venture as the strategies set in place by the lobbies concerned and theprocrastination of the decision-makers.

17


Table 1

PASSIVE SMOKING: AWARENESS OP THE PROBLEMAND EXPOSURE TO THE RISK

Awareness Frequency of exposure (*)Frequent Occasional Total

Community asa whole

By country :

Belgium

Denmark

Germany(ex-BRD)(ex-DDR)

Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Portugal

United Kingdom

By sex :

Men

Women

78%

69

97

92(92)(91)

83

69

59

72

75

83

89

54

86

80

77

39%

33

48

27(27)(27)

56

51

36

36

51

31

45

36

36

41

38

40%

43

33

48(48)(42)

28

33

41

41

36

42

37

40

40

40

40

79%

76

81

75(75)(69)

84

84

77

77

87

73

82

76

76

81

78

- 18 -


By acre :

15-24 years

25-39 years

40-54 years

55 or over

79

84

82

70

51

46

41

25

36

39

41

43

87

85

82

68

By level of education:

Primary

Secondary

Higher

67

83

85

33

41

46

40

41

39

73

82

85

By status in relation to tobacco

Smokers

Non-smokers

79

78

46

36

34

43

80

79

* Question put, after a brief introduction, to all categories.

- 19 -


Table 2

THE MOST COMMON INSTANCES OF BEING IN THEVICINITY OF SMOKERS

Restaurantsbarscanteens

Amongfriends

Inpublicplaces

Whentravelling

Atwork

Athome

Community asa whole

By country :

Belgium

Denmark


Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Portugal

United Kingdom

By sex :

Men

Women

86%

81

93

85(87)(78)

96

93

77

89

90

91

86

77

87

89

83

85%

87

96

80(80)(78)

89

87

89

85

89

85

85

75

81

89

81

82%

76

75

79(80)(75)

90

90

79

86

88

81

63

81

83

86

78

63%

49

74

63(65)(57)

76

77

56

60

69

50

54

57

56

65

60

55%

54

68

56(58)(51)

66

63

54

44

55

39

55

50

44

66

44

43%

46

45

35(35)(33)

58

60

45

46

47

44

37

36

38

41

45

-20-


By age :

15-24 years

25-39 years

40-54 years

55 or over

93

92

88

74

90

92

88

72

88

86

85

72

74

66

64

52

93

92

88

74

56

45

47

30

By level of education :

Primary

Secondary

Higher

79

88

90

79

88

87

78

83

85

58

64

66

38

60

68

40

44

46

By status in relation to tobacco :

Smokers

Non-smokers

92

82

97

79

87

79

74

56

70

46

63

25

- 21 -


Table 3

VIEWS ON OTHER PEOPLE'S SMOKE

Quite Not a A mild A great A real No Totalpleasant nuisance nuisance nuisance hazard reply

Community asa whole

By country :Belgium

Denmark


Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Portugal

United Kingdom

By sex :

MenWomen

By aqe :

15-24 years

25-39 years

40-54 years

55 or over

2

3

2

4(4)(1)

2

1

2

3

2

4

3

1

1

22

2

2

3

2

32

33

41

31(33)(25)

23

31

35

43

27

32

35

23

35

3727

35

33

33

28

31

30

34

32(31)(34)

27

36

33

28

27

25

35

26

27

3131

33

33

28

29

24

25

15

22(21)(26)

33

22

22

14

30

25

19

33

24

2027

20

22

24

27

10

8

7

10(9)

(13)

15

9

8

10

13

13

6

16

13

912

9

9

11

13

1

1

1

1(2)(1)

1

2

1

1

2

1

11

1

1

1

1

100

100

100

100(100)(100)

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100100

100

100

100

100

- 22 -



Primary

Secondary

Higher

2

2

1

32

34

29

27

33

32

26

22

25

12

8

12

1

1

1

100

100

100


Smokers

Non-smokers

4

1

63

15

25

34

5

34

2

15

1

1

100

100

- 23 -


Table 4THE HAZARD TO THE NON-SMOKER FROM OTHER PEOPLE'S SMOKE

No Some Can lead to Depends No Totalhazard hazard serious (spont- reply

diseases aneous)

Community asa whole

By country :Belgium

Denmark


Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Portugal

United Kingdom

By sex :MenWomen

By age :15-24 years25-39 years40-54 years55 and over

5

5

5

5(5)(3)

3

4

5

13

5

7

7

3

5

64

4456

32

40

44

28(27)(28)

37

44

30

39

31

19

41

47

26

3232

38313030

52

41

46

49(48)(54)

55

45

57

39

52

62

38

43

64

5153

48555253

7

11

4

9(10)

(7)

3

5

7

6

9

9

9

6

3

77

7786

4

3

1

9(10)

(8)

2

2

1

3

3

3

5

1

2

44

3355

100

100

100

100(100)(100)

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100100

100100100100

By level of education :Primary 6Secondary 5Higher 3

313234

505353

867

543

100100100

By status inSmokersNon-smokers

relation to tobacco :8 394 28

3959

105

44

100100

- 24 -


Table 5

SMOKERS REFRAINING FROM SMOKINGOUT OF CONSIDERATION FOR OTHERS

Frequently Occasion-ally

Seldom Never Noreply

Total

Community asa whole

By country :

Belgium

Denmark


Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Portugal

United Kingdom

By sex :

Men

Women

By age :

15-24 tears

25-39 years

40-54 years

55 and over

33

28

54

11(10)(17)

35

32

37

29

36

48

46

33

47

31

36

.25

36

34

36

39

49

37

28(28)(26)

38

44

46

38

44

34

40

37

38

40

38

40

41

36

38

17

15

5

40(40)(43)

16

13

10

14

11

9

7

18

6

17

16

21

15

17

13

9

8

4

13(13)(10)

11

7

7

19

8

7

6

10

9

9

9

12

6

10

9

2

8(9)(4)

4

1

2

1

2

3

1

2

2

3

4

100

100

100

100100100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

- 25 -



Primary

Secondary

Higher

31

32

36

38

38

43

17

17

15

10

11

5

4

2

1

100

100

100


Cigar or pipesmokers

Cigarettesmokers

35

33

40

39

17

17

5

9

3

2

100

100

of which:light smokersaverage "heavy "

452926

354235

131723

61013

123

100100100

- 26 -


Table 6

SMOKERS AND NON-SMOKERS ASKING A SMOKER MOT TO SMOKEIN ORDER MOT TO SUFFER DISCOMFORT

Smokers Non-smokers

Freque-ntly

Occasion-ally

Total Freque-ntly

Occas-ionally

Total

Community asa whole

By country :

Belgium

Denmark


Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Portugal

United Kingdom

By sex :

Men

Women

By age :

15-24 years

25-39 years

40-54 years

55 and over

2

2

1

1(1)(1)

9

2

1

2

3

1

2

2

1

1

2

3

2

1

1

9

13

11

7(7)(7)

18

7

9

5

11

11

9

9

6

8

10

8

10

8

6

11%

15

12

8(8)(8)

27

9

10

7

14

12

11

11

7

9

12

11

12

9

7

13

8

8

11(11)(10)

37

12

12

9

19

12

7

11

9

13

13

14

14

13

11

25

25

19

28(26)(33)

25

20

25

15

30

22

22

24

23

24

26

26

29

28

22

38%

33

27

39(37)(43)

62

32

37

24

49

34

29

35

32

37

39

40

43

41

33

- 27 -



Primary

Secondary

Higher

2

2

2

7

9

10

9

11

12

12

13

14

21

26

30

33

39

44


Smokers 2 9 11of which:

- cigars orpipe 1 10 11

- light smokers4 14 18

- average " 1 7 8

- heavy " I 5 6

Non - smokersof which :

- former smokers

- never smoked

13

11

14

25

22

27

38

33

41

- 28 -


Table 7

THE TRAIN COMPARTMENT TEST

I. SMOKERS IN A "NO-SMOKING COMPARTMENT"

F i n d i t :

Veryincon-venient

Incon-venient

Slightlyincon-venient

Not at allincon-venient

Don'tknow

Total

- 29 -



Primary

Secondary

Higher

14

13

12

16

18

16

12

16

15

55

51

56

3

2

1

100

100

100


Cigar or pipesmokers

Cigarettesmokers :

- light smokers

- average "

- heavy' "

10

13

5

13

30

11

17

10

19

24

12

15

12

17

13

66

53

71

50

32

1

2

2

1

1

100

100

100

100

100

- 30 -


Table 8

THE TRAIN COMPARTMENT TEST

II. NON-SMOKERS IN A "SMOKING-PERMITTED" COMPARTMENT

F i n d i t :

Veryincon-venient

Incon-venient

Slightlyincon-venient

Not at allincon-venient

Don'tknow

Total

Community asa whole

By country :

Belgium

Denmark


Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Portugal

United Kingdom

By sex :

Men

Women

48

39

49

50(47)(60)

60

40

47

33

51

39

39

52

50

46

49

21

28

18

23(24)(20)

. 18

22

22

20

21

17

12

21

15

21

21

14

13

14

14(15)(12)

10

15

16

9

14

20

11

12

11

14

13

13

10

16

10(11)

(5)

8

16

14

28

13

23

14

14

18

14

13

4

10

3

3(3)(3)

4

7

1

10

1

1

24

1

6

5

4

100

100

100

100(100)(100)

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

- 31 -


By age :

15-24 years

25-39 years

40-54 years

55 and over

39

50

50

50

23

21

22

19

17

14

12

12

16

12

12

14

5

3

4

5

100

100

100

100


Primary

Secondary

Higher

48

47

48

20

22

21

13

13

14

14

14

12

5

4

5

100

100

100


Former smokers

Never smoked

42

52

22

21

15

13

18

12

3

2

100

100

- 32 -


Table 9

FOR OR AGAINST A BAN ON SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLAGES

Strongly Inin favour

favour Againstpour

Stronglyagainst

Don'tknow

Total

- 33 -


Table 10

PUBLIC AWARENESS OF REGULATIONS ON A BAN ON SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES

There are regulations :

Almostevery-where

In manypublicplaces

In somepublicplaces

No-where

Don'tknow

Total

-34-


Table 10 (cont'd)PUBLIC AWARENESS OF REGULATIONS ON A BAN ON SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES

Where there are regulations are they generally respected?*:

Yes No(spont-aneous )

Dependsknow

Don'tknow

Total

Community asa whole

By country :Belgium

Denmark


Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy'

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Portugal

United Kingdom

By sex :MenWomen

By acre :15-24 years25-39 years40-54 years55 and over

46

40

72

64(65)(59)

22

25

39

58

25

55

72

27

66

4745

42464947

37

36

18

26(25)(27)

59

54

34

28

53

15

17

51

26

3737

42383534

15

22

5

9(9)(12)

18

20

24

11

21

28

7

19

7

1516

15151516

2

2

5

1(1)(2)

1

1

3

3

1

2

4

3

1

12

1113

100

100

100

100(100)(100)

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100100

100100100100

By level of education :PrimarySecondaryHigher

425146

403338

161515

211

100100100

•Question put to those who answered that there are regulations covering thepublic places they frequent regularly.

- 3 5 -


Table 11

FOR OR AGAINST SEPARATE AREAS FOR SMOKERSAMD NON-SMOKERS AT WORK

Verymuchfor

To someextentfor

To someextentagainst

Verymuchagainst

Don'tknow

Total

Community asa whole

By country :

Belgium

Denmark


Greece

Spain

France

Ireland..

Italy

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Portugal

United Kingdom

By sex ;

Men

Women

By acre :

15-24 years

25-39 years

40-54 years

55 and over

58

38

57

56(51)(72)

70

58

53

59

60

51

54

48

70

56

60

53

59

59

60

30

43

28

32(35)(22)

19

23

35

28

31

29

31

43

21

31

29

35

30

29

27

6

12

8

7(7)(3)

4

7

8

3

4

7

6

4

4

7

5

7

6

7

5

2

2

3

2(3)(1)

2

5

2

2

2

5

5

1

2

3

2

2

3

2

2

4

5

4

3(4)(2)

5

7

2

8

3

8

4

4

3

3

4

3

2

3

6

100

100

100

100(100)(100)

100

100

100

100: .

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

- 36 -



Primary

Secondary

Higher

56

58

61

30

30

29

5

7

6

3

2

2

6

3

2

100

100

100

By status in relation to tobacco

Smokers

Non-smokers

47

64

37

26

9

4

4

2

3

4

100

100

- 37 -


Table 12SEPARATE AREAS FOR SMOKERS AMD NON-SMOKERS;

DIRECT AGREEMENT OR MANAGEMENT DECISION

betweenDirect agreementdecisioncolleagues

Management Other Don'tknow Total

Community asa whole

By country :Belgium

Denmark


Greece -

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Portugal

United Kingdom

By sex :Men

Women

By age :15-24 years25-39 years40-54 years55 and over

52

55

67

52(54)(46)

52

56

57

47

44

62

60

40

52

54

50

59575045

34

26

25

37(35)(45)

28

26

31

32

43

26

27

37

36

34

36

29313739

10

14

5

7(7)(7)

16

12

10

13

9

10

11

15

7

9

9

8101010

4

5

3

4(4)(2)

4

6

2

8

4

2

2

8

5

3

5

4236

100

100

100

100(100)(100)

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100100100100

- 38 -


Table 13

SMOKING AT WORK: REGULATIONS AMD THEIR APPLICATION

There are regulationsat the place of work*

They are generallyrespected by smokers**

By country :

Belgium

Denmark


Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

ItalyLuxembourg

Netherlands

Portugal

United Kingdom

Bv sex :

Men

Women

BY age :

15-24 years

25-39 years

40-54 years

55 and over

44

54

49(47)(59)

22

29

34

43

3638

47

25

63

42

33

48

45

42

34

67

84

88(87)(90)

48

55

71

89

59

78

82

62

85

76

78

72

79

80

73

- 39 -



Primary

Secondary

Higher

34

43

50

74

80

65


Smokers

Non-smokers

42

44

78

76

* Out of 100 people interviewed who stated they were in employment.

** Out of 100 people in employment and whose place of work is covered byregulations.

- 40 -

passive smoking or the pollution of non-smokers by smokers

Documents