SUPPORT for smokefree places in the South East is stronger than ever, a 2017 survey by public health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) has found.

The smoking ban was introduced in 2007, when 81 per cent of South East residents supported the legislation. In the latest survey, 84 per cent are in favour.

‘Smokefree’, a new report by ASH, tracked changes in attitudes to the ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces and other measures aimed at protecting people, particularly children and young people, from health harms due to tobacco.

The report analyses 10 years of data from the ASH Smokefree England survey, carried out by polling company YouGov.

Nationally, in April 2007, 78 per cent of all respondents were in favour of smokefree legislation.

In the 10 years since, support has grown to 83 per cent, primarily due to an increase in support from smokers from 40 per cent to 55 per cent.

The overall change is entirely due to changing attitudes among smokers.

Support among non-smokers has been stable.

Public support in the South East for other tobacco control measures has also grown over the past decade

Despite the many measures that have been introduced over the past decade, the proportion of respondents from the South East who think the government is not doing enough to tackle smoking has risen from 29 per cent in 2009 to 38 per cent in 2017.

Nationally over three-quarters of adults surveyed now support the Government’s activities to limit smoking or think they could do more, while only 11 per cent believe that the government is doing too much.

ASH is now calling on the government to publish the new Tobacco Control Plan with tough new targets and a commitment to reducing inequalities without further delay.

ASH policy director Hazel Cheeseman said: “Smoking prevalence is at an all-time low in the South East at 14.6 per cent but smoking remains the leading cause of preventable premature death, responsible for half the difference in life expectancy between the rich and the poor.

“Much more needs to be done to reduce health inequalities so that no-one is left behind. The Smokefree England survey shows there is strong support for more action to tackle the harm caused by tobacco.”

A copy of the report is available upon request. Email [email protected]