Smoking ban ‘already benefiting health of Irish people’

The Irish Heart Foundation has claimed that the workplace smoking ban is already benefiting the health of Irish people.

Speaking at the launch of its annual walking challenge yesterday, the foundation said the number of people being admitted to hospital had reduced significantly since the ban was introduced 17 months ago.

It also said it had witnessed an improvement in the health of people with chronic lung disease.

Dr Brian Maurer, the foundation's medical director, said: "I think we'll be able to reduce the incidence of heart disease overall by about 20% simply as a result of stopping smoking."