21 March 2006. The Smoke Free Partnership published ‘Lifting the smokescreen: 10 reasons for going smokefree’, which was launched at the European Parliament by MEPs Liz Lynne and Adamos Adamou.

In March 2006 the Smoke Free Partnership, together with the European Heart Network, published ‘Lifting the smokescreen: 10 reasons for going smokefree’. The report was officially launched at the European Parliament on March 21, by MEPs Liz Lynne (UK, Liberal Democrat) and Adamos Adamou (Cyprus, European United Left–Nordic Green Left).

According to this report, passive smoking currently kills 79,000 European Union (EU) citizens a year: 72,000 of these deaths are due to second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure at home and 7,000 are due to SHS exposure at work. The report also found that, based on current EU smoking prevalence levels and the impact of the smoking ban in Ireland, and if all countries brought in and enforced bans such as those in Ireland, about 5-10 million smokers would give up smoking.

Lifting the Smokescreen was presented with the Best Smoke Free Research Policy Award 2006 at the Global Smokefree Partnership inaugural awards, during the 13th World Conference on Tobacco or Health. Sylviane Richard Davidson of Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and Fiona Godfrey (EU Policy Advisor, representing the ERS) accepted the award on behalf of the partnership.

10 reasons for going smokefree

• Second-hand smoke exposure kills and harms health;
• Every worker has the right to be protected from exposure to tobacco smoke;
• Scientific evidence shows that ventilation does not protect against exposure to tobacco smoke;
• Smoke free laws do not result in negative economic effects;
• Freedom of choice includes the responsibility not to harm others;
• The public supports smoke free legislation;
• The public complies with smoke free legislation;
• It has been done elsewhere. It can be done everywhere;
• It is a cost-effective public health intervention;
• Comprehensive smoke free policies work.