A public smoking ban in Rome reported a reduction in coronary events among people aged between 35 to 74 years old. The researchers arrived at the following statistics —11.2% reduction for people between 35 to 64 years, and 7.9% reduction for those between 65 to 74 years.
A more recent study conducted by the Indiana University and published in the Journal of Drug Education, 2007 reported a 70% drop in heart attacks for non-smokers. The researchers therefore voiced the fact that people with less or no risks of any heart disease were vulnerable to heart attacks.
Smokers on the other hand recorded no decline with the public smoking ban that was implemented worldwide. The benefits of the ban were therefore experienced by those exposed to secondhand smoking rather than those who consumed tobacco.
Benefits of the January 2005 Public Smoking Ban in Italy
Studies carried out during this period in Italy, helped reveal the following benefits of public smoking ban:
- Frequency of smoking in men reduced from 20.6% to 20.4%
- Frequency of smoking in women reduced from 34.9% to 30.5%
- The cigarette sales decreased by 5.5%
The Indiana University unlike other studies distinguished between smokers and non-smokers for determining the reduction of heart attacks. The researchers of this study highlighted the fact that even 30 minutes of secondhand smoke can increase the risk of heart attacks for non- smokers.
Researchers of the study also maintained that the carbon dioxide filled smoke causes the narrowing down of the blood vessels. This in turn restricts the amount of oxygen that is transported into the bloodstream.
Two counties were simultaneously compared for identifying the results of public smoking ban on reduced heart attacks. The results provoked Monroe County to bar smoking in public places like restaurants, retail shops and work places. In addition, a study conducted in Ireland also recorded a 14% fall over the first year of a public smoking ban.
