SEPAR supports the willingness of the Government to maintain the current Anti tobacco law.

-65% of smokers, 83% of ex-smokers and 93% of non-smokers are in favour of the law

Spain, February 2013.- after the award of the project raised the town of Alcorcón and recent manifestations of responsibility of the community of Madridthe Spanish society of Pneumology and thoracic surgery, SEPAR, wishes to express its support for the position expressed by the Spanish Government, through its spokesman, Mrs. Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, on not amending the Anti tobacco law.

Without forgetting that he is a problem of serious health thanks to 53,000 deaths annually in Spain by active smoking and more than 3,200 deaths by passive smoking, Dr. Segismundo Solano, Coordinator of the SEPAR Smoking Area, recalls the positive data that emerge from the development of current legislation from its entry into force at the beginning of 2011 and that are reflected in the 3rd study on passive smoking made by this Area of SEPAR.

According to this study, the total number of smokers in Spain has grown from 21.2% (22.3) of the population before the application of the first law of 2005 (law 28/2005, of 26 December, sanitary measures against smoking and regulating the sale, supply, consumption and advertising of tobacco products), 17.65% (20.1) with the current law (Law 42/2010 of 30 December 2010). But the more relevant figure ” explains Dr. Solano occurs in the descent of the passive smoking where we have gone from having a 49.5% of non-smokers exposed to cigarette smoke, to 21%, a clear demonstration that the legislation currently on the tobacco is positive and effective ”.

In Spain die each day 145 people as a result of tobacco, still smoking the leading preventable cause of death in our country. This is why Dr. Solano believes that it is the responsibility of everyone, especially the specialists in respiratory health and health policy makers, promote preventive legislation, promote treatments aimed at the smoking cessation and protecting the health of non-smokers against the air polluted by tobacco smoke ”.

Other information that we would like to highlight is the degree of acceptance of the current law both by smokers, ex-smokers and passive smokers ” explains Dr. Solano. Data from the study reveal that 65% of smokers are in favour of it, against 83% of ex-smokers and 93% of non-smokers. In addition to the 81% of non-smokers, 75% of the quitters and 35% of smokers find it more comfortable to go to the bars. Is for all these advances and achievements in favour of the protection of public health that SEPAR wishes to express its rejection of any change in the law that reintroduce smoking in closed public places ” concludes the Coordinator of the Area of smoking of SEPAR.