A year after the ban was introduced the uproar over its introduction has subsided, with more people wanting to avoid smoking. The latest figures published by Statistics Denmark show that the average use of cigarettes per head of population has dropped and that the tobacco industry has been hit in the pocket as well. Since the introduction of the smoking ban last year, cigarette sales have dropped by three percent, which translates to about 200 million fewer cigarettes. The Cancer Society´s latest report shows that in 2007, 40 percent of smokers wanted to quit. This is almost double the number from 2005. Those who want to quit may find the process easier if the regulations banning smoking inside all workplaces were tightened, as recently suggested by the Ministry of Health´s prevention commission. Last month the commission announced that it would like to see a total ban on smoking in sports clubs and schools. It also wants the government to levy a higher tax on cigarettes and only make them available for purchase in certain outlets, such as pharmacies. A poll by Zapera shows that three out of four Danes are pleased with the way the smoking ban is working, and that 34 percent of them would like to see smoking regulations tightened. Fifty-four percent of the 1020 respondents want to see increased taxes on cigarettes to help improve public health. ´It´s clear that we need a helping hand from the state to make a healthy choice as the poll by Zapera shows that 72 percent of Danes think the authorities should take a greater responsibility for public health,´ Inge Haunstrup Clemmensen of the Cancer Society said.
According to recent estimates 25 percent of Danes over 13 years old smoke every day.
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