Smoking Ban and Smokers Secret

The number of people hiding their smoking habit from friends and family members seems to have risen since the introduction of the UK's public smoking ban. A poll of 2,000 people, conducted by One Poll on behalf of the Co-operative Pharmacy, found that one in 12 respondents now have a home smoking ban in place.

More than half (57 per cent) of smokers said they now keep their habit a secret, with 21 per cent hiding their smoking from their partner and 19.6 per cent from their children.

One-third of smokers said they had smoked less since the introduction of the public smoking ban, and four-fifths said they wanted to quit.

One in eight smokers have even convinced themselves that they have given up, despite smoking the occasional cigarette.

Fiona Caplan-Dean, clinical services manager at the Co-operative Pharmacy, said: 'The smoking ban in public places has had a major effect on the health of the nation, with a significant number of people giving up.

'But many smokers now try to keep their habit secret from their partner, children, friends and family.'

Ms Caplan-Dean observed that even smoking one or two cigarettes a day has an impact on people's health, skin and appearance.

A YouGov poll conducted in 2011 found that 78 per cent of people - including almost half of smokers - supported England's smoke-free legislation.