Hi guys, I meant to post this article issued by BBC Scotland a couple of days ago, but forgot …would forget ma wig if it wasn’t glued on – LOL.
Without a doubt I would say that the smoking ban has brought about a significant improvement to the health of asthmatics in Scotland.
Last night I had to make a brief visit to a person who smokes in their own home. Whilst the person was not smoking when I was in their home (for all of about 10 minutes), the person had obviously been smoking perhaps an hour earlier. I was fine during the visit, but within half an hour of leaving I became very wheezy.
It becomes very very apparent that much of MY asthma was triggered by the occassional visits to the pub, as you do.
THE HEALTH OF SCOTLAND’S BAR STAFF
The health of Scotland's bar staff has improved dramatically since the introduction of a smoking ban, a medical study has found.
Researchers at Dundee University found significant health improvements in the first two months after the March ban.
The results have led to calls for the UK Government to speed the introduction of a similar ban south of the border.
The team from the university's asthma and allergy research group began testing bar workers in and around Dundee in February, a month before the ban came into force.
Using a series of indicators, they established symptoms attributable to passive smoking, measuring lung function and inflammation in the bloodstream.
Testing volunteers a month later and then again in May, the researchers were not only able to back up anecdotal evidence of a general feeling of wellbeing but scientifically establish significant improvements in people's health.
Daniel Menzies, from the research group, said that in the two months following the introduction of the ban, the number who showed smoke-related symptoms fell from more than 80% to fewer than half.
The team also recorded reductions in levels of nicotine in the bloodstream and breathing tests showed improvement in lung function of as much as 10%.
""Our study shows that, across a number of health indicators, positive changes were evident even in the first two months following the introduction of the smoking ban, which is a very rapid change,"" said Dr Menzies.
Shelagh Matthews, an asthmatic who works as the bar manager at Dundee city centre pub The Phoenix, said she had used her inhaler less frequently since the ban.
""The smoke was something that definitely did have an effect, though perhaps we didn't realise how much of an effect until it was gone,"" she said.
""I do actually feel the difference.""
Following the results of the study, which have been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the British Heart Foundation called on Prime Minister Tony Blair to name a precise date for the introduction of an English ban.
Chief executive Peter Hollins said: ""This study provides compelling evidence that making workplaces smoke free can have a significant and speedy impact on people's health.""
