They know about the severe consequences but they still smoke!

The Greeks are proving to be unrepentant heavy smokers in the midst of the smoking prohibition. As recent research shows, the implementation of the relevant law did not bother those who smoke who, aided by the lax inspection measures, kept on engaging in their favorite harmful habit. In fact the comparative data from 2006 until 2010 show that women smokers are increasing in contrast to decreasing numbers of male smokers.

This research was presented on Monday by Professor Panagiotis Mpehrakis, the secretary of the Ministry of Health Mr Antonis Dimopoulos and the president of NOM Mr Giannis Tountas, on the occasion of the 1st National Conference on Smoking Control, whichis taking place from Thursday, December 2 to Saturday, December 4 at the auditorium of the Ministry of Health, in Maroussi (Kifisias 39).

This conference –which will be attended by distinguished scientists from Harvard – aims at developing new educational tools that will allow effective intervention in schools and will drastically reduce the percentage of smokers among students and young people. 

 

The Greek public schools are proving to be «nurseries» for smokers. As the Hellas Health III research showed, the smoking habit has strong roots within the school community and half of the smokers said they began smoking daily and systematically at 18 or less.

However, women are becoming fanatical smokers whether inside or outside the school context. Specifically, 42.9% of men and 37.2% of women say they are daily smokers. But compared with the previous studies Hellas Health I and II, conducted in 2006 and 2008 respectively, the percentage of male smokers was significantly reduced, by 7% (49,9% in 2006, 46,4 in 2008), while female smokers increased by 6,4% (30,8% in 2006, 33,5% in 2008). 

 

Nine out of ten Greeks know that smoking causes lung cancer, heart attacks, respiratory diseases and pregnancy complications. Fewer, seven out of ten, know that it also causes strokes and other types of cancer.

But they seem to be ignorant as to the consequences of passive smoking. It is significant that 15% said that the cigarette smoke of others is not dangerous to one's health.

This ignorance is mirrored in the high exposure rates to passive smoking, at home or at work. Three out of ten of those who took part in the survey said that they live in homes where someone smokes indoors, while four out of ten said that there is no smoking restriction at home. 

 

The situation does not get better in the workplace, despite the provisions of the legislation. Only 56,3% of people working in enclosed spaces said that there is a smoking prohibition, which makes 1 out of 3 workers a passive smoker. In fact, a significant number of people believe that the smoking prohibition in enclosed workplaces would better their performance (20%), their morale (21%) and their overall health (42%). 

 

This research shows the problems arising from the implementation of the anti-smoking legislation in dining and entertainment areas. Four out of ten people who visited a restaurant last month, said they saw customers smoking "sometimes" "often" or "always", while only 37% found that there was no smoke in the restaurant. The corresponding figure for bars, clubs and cafés was only 33%.

More than six out of ten agreed to the smoking ban in these places. However, if they find that the law is not observed, only 17% would complain to the management, 11% to the smoker and only 1% would make complaints to the responsible authorities. 

The Hellas Health III research was conducted by the Health Services Research Center at the Medical School of the University of Athens and the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (IKPI) in collaboration with the Harvard School of Public Health and Metron Analysis. The sample consisted of 1,000 people across the country, aged over 18 . It was conducted  from 1st – 21st of October 2010, after the implemenation of the new law for the banning of smoking in all indoor spaces.