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Smokefree countdown begins

A smokefree England will be a reality in less than 100 days, and the Government is stepping up its campaign to help businesses get ready for the 1 July start date. This was the message from Public Health Minister Caroline Flint as she officially launched the 100-day countdown to the health protection measure.

Comprehensive guidance detailing all elements of the smokefree legislation is now available, and in April the government will be mailing this, along with no-smoking signs, to over 1.7m businesses across the country. A Department of Health survey of people in the North East showed that 68% of people in the region support the legislation and that 74% believe that going smokefree will have a positive effect on health.

Public Health Minister Caroline Flint said: “We are now entering an important period, when all businesses should start preparing for compliance. They should be removing all smoking rooms and start putting up no smoking signs. We are confident that with the support being provided by the Department of Health and by local councils, everyone should be ready in time. “A snapshot survey carried out by the Department shows that more than three quarters of businesses are aware of the legislation. This is an encouraging picture, but obviously we need to ensure every business understands what actions they will need to take ahead of 1 July and has the support they need.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .