ALMOST TWO-IN-three people say that smoking should be banned in outdoor areas where people are eating.
An increasing number of restaurants have been extending smoke-free zones to outdoor areas and a new poll has demonstrated support for legislating for this.
A poll carried out on behalf of Claire Byrne Live and TheJournal.ie has found that 64% of people would like to see smoking be banned in outdoor areas where food is served.
Exactly 30% said ‘no’ while 6% said they didn’t know.
In 2004, Ireland became the first country in the world to ban smoking in enclosed workplaces but the rules gave proprietors the freedom to permit outdoor smoking areas.
There are specific regulations that allow these outdoor areas to be partly covered without being considered indoors.
This has allowed restaurants have outdoor areas where people can smoke while eating.
Last year, TheJournal.ie spoke to a number of restaurant-owners who described how they had split their outdoor areas into smoking and non-smoking zones.
Some politicians including former health minister James Reilly have since suggested going further and instituting an outright ban on outdoor smoking near food.
Latest figures from the HSE have shown that 22% of Irish adults are classified as smokers, fewer than those who used to smoke but have quit.
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