Republic of Ireland's indoor workplace smoking ban.

N 29 March, in accordance with Article 8 of the World Health Assembly's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, a ban on smoking in all enclosed places of work, including pubs and restaurants, was introduced in the Republic of Ireland. After 1 month, the Office of Tobacco Control found that 97% of premises inspected nationally were compliant with the smoke-free law. This compliance rate is similar to, or higher than, that achieved in California and New York. How has this come about — in anarchic Ireland of all places? Firstly, a high level of knowledge and understanding about the reasons for the ban were critical to ensuring compliance. The year of often heated debate — in newspapers, on television, on national and local radio, through expert discussions and phone-ins — meant that no one in the Republic of Ireland remained ignorant of the impending ban, that everyone had an opinion, and that popular support strengthened over the course of the debate as people began to perceive the self-serving nature of the hospitality industry's economic arguments. The strident arguments of the hospitality industry were partially responsible for driving the debate. But the debate was also driven by a carefully managed communications campaign. Non-governmental organisations and government departments used the same few, simple, consistent messages: passive smoking causes serious harm to health, workplace smoking is a health and safety issue, and ventilation does not work. The high level of knowledge achieved by the communication campaign was indicated by a poll in December 2003, 11 months after the announcement of the ban (and 3 months before the ban came into force). Some 84% of the population knew not only that the ban was coming in, but also that it was for health and safety reasons. Public support has remained strong. A survey commissioned by the Department of Health and Children showed that 4 months after the ban, 82% supported the Smoke-Free at Work measure, 95% agreed that the ban is a positive health measure, and 90% agreed that going smoke-free is of benefit to workers. Most reported that the new legislation improved their experience in pubs (70%) and restaurants (78%). But this has not been a short-term communication process. It has taken many years of advocacy led by non-governmental organisations — such as ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) Ireland, the Irish Cancer Society, the Irish Heart Foundation — and by public health to …