Excellent News !!

More than half of hospital trusts are treating fewer heart attacks since the ban on smoking in public places came in last year.

As its first anniversary approaches on July 1, nearly six in ten NHS trusts are reporting a dramatic fall in the number of heart attack patients being admitted to emergency wards.

The figures, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, are the first real indication of the impact of the smoking ban on hospital admissions for heart problems in England.

Coronary heart disease costs the country £3.5billion a year, but the Government has yet to publish statistics about the effects of the ban.

However, NHS records show some hospitals have seen the number of cases plummet by 41 per cent since July 2007.

There were 1,384 fewer heart attacks across England in the nine months after the legislation was introduced compared to the same period a year earlier.

That means rates have fallen by 3 per cent across the country since the ban.

Amanda Sandford, of the pressure group Action on Smoking and Health, added: 'This is excellent news.

It seems likely that the drop in hospital admissions for heart attacks is linked to the implementation of the smoking ban.

'It shows just how quickly the benefits can be felt.

'Even if the overall percentage reduction appears small, the fact that this amounts to over a thousand people whose lives have been saved is extremely important.

'Any single life saved is worth celebrating.'

It follows similar research in Scotland and Ireland that showed hospital admissions for heart attacks fell by 17 and 14 per cent respectively, in the year after the ban came in there during 2006.

Studies in France and Italy have also pointed to a link between a drop in heart attack rates and smoking restrictions.

Dr Nicholas Boon, president of the British Cardiovascular Society, said: 'This is great news.

'It is exactly what we hoped and expected to see.

'When you place these figures with the research in Scotland, Ireland, France and Rome, it is consistent with the observation that the ban has been followed by significant improvements in heart attack rates.

'It is early days, but the benefits may be greater in the long run.'

Smoking is one of the major causes of heart attacks.

Experts believe the ban has triggered a drop in heart attacks due to both the number of people quitting and the reduction in passive smoking as fewer people are exposed to airborne toxins.

It also appears that as well as the health benefits already seen as detailed above, the effect on the hospitality trade has not been as the smoking lobby would have led us to believe.
Alan Rohman of The Brunswick, a food-led pub in Swansea, said the ban had helped boost business: “If anything the number of people coming to the pub has increased.”

Carol Robins of The Clifton in Cardiff added: “It is much better for bar staff now and most people are quite satisfied to go out into the yard area to smoke.”

Brains Brewery, which owns around 250 pubs in Wales said the ban had boosted food sales but it was too early to draw conclusions about its effects.

but what about the number of hypochondriacs in the UK? Is that number falling yet?

Is Brains Brewery referring to the effects of it's food?!!!!

LOL........ possibly

Badly worded wasn't it !

People who are opposed to smoking forget about how much money is earned to the treasury, through the extortionate tax on smokers in this country.
Look at how many bars have gone bust since this stupid ban !
When you think about the damage that alcohol does in this country, bet the anti smoking whingers would complain about more tax on their pint, Or how about putting more tax on people that drive their cars too much and cause problems for people who have repertory problems ? How about limiting one household to one car ?
It doesn't stop here and the anti smoking whingers will have the smiles wiped off their faces at some point !

I can't wait !

Is that an argument. Considering all that has been stated do you still consider it bad? With regards to bars closing, if people can't go a few hours without having to smoke then they have a serious addiction problem akin to all druggies. There is more to life than fags and booze, despite what a lot of Brits seem to think.

Again, on the subject of saving the health service loads of cash, smokers support the treasury, due to the the amount of taxes that we pay ! This gives us a right to treatment since the vast majority of us never get ill.

I love smoking ! My grandfather smoked for all of his life and live until he was 91.
I have no wish to give up because i love it so much !
I have nothing against any one that would want to give up as that is their choice, but it is my choice as a taxpayer to carry on !

Good enough for me !

Do you drive a car ?

If you do you contribute to bad air qualities, the so called 'global warmings', and respritory problems of the wider population etc. (one car per household) ?

The problems with alcohol lead to the greater admissions to our hospitals, so you wouldn't complain if we levied more taxes on a pint etc ?

.....And what about the conflicts and lack of social cohesions caused through errand religions ?

Perhaps we should ban the self obsessed religious idiots that cause most of the worlds problems ?

That would be far better for the health of this planet !

Long live Vodka & Cigarettes !

We need a few 'so called' vices in life !

Rather this than spend you life on a prayer mat praying to a paedophile prophet !

If you are a Christian, i believe that it is true to say that Jesus was against the organised Jewish religion at that time of praying within bricks and mortar places ?

Didn't he preach against that ? Didn't he preach that it was the way that you conduct yourself, the way that you treat your fellow man, was the key to heaven ?