Bans 'not influencing smokers'

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More than four out of five smokers who are planning to quit have not been influenced by proposed bans in England, a survey suggests.

Some 83.7% said smoking being outlawed in public places such as restaurants and pubs from next summer was not a factor in their decision to give up.

Scotland introduced a similar ban in March, and Wales and Northern Ireland will follow in April next year.

The Experian poll of 2,132 people in England was for pharmacy Boots.

Will power

The survey found 18.1% of smokers were planning to give up and a further 42.4% said that they would "possibly" do so.

Some 31.8% said they would never quit, and 89.9% of those said they would not change their mind even after a ban came in.

Methods favoured by those planning to give up were will power (70.7%), patches (29.9%), gum (16.3%) and hypnosis (10.7%).

Ruth Bosworth from Boots Health Club said: "Everyone has the right to be protected from harm and enjoy smoke-free air.

"For any smoker trying to quit, smoke-free environments will increase their chances of success as social pressures to smoke will be reduced."