The National Health Service surveyed 7,000 English people and found that after the ban on smoking in public places came into effect, the proportion of female smokers remained the same as before the restrictions - 21%. Men, however, started smoking even more: their share increased from 23% to 24%. According to Gzt.ru, the increase in the number of cigarettes smoked was especially noticeable among the youngest men aged 16 to 34, with the average number of cigarettes smoked increasing by 1.5 units - from 11 to 12.5. About a third of the smokers surveyed said that after the restrictions were introduced, they started smoking more often at home rather than in bars or restaurants.
The organizers of anti-tobacco prevention tried to take care of the health of passive smokers by banning smoking in public places. It was also assumed that the new law would make it easier for those who want to quit smoking to give up the bad habit and reduce the proportion of smokers. However, it turned out that the increase in the number of people smoking at home could lead to an increased risk of passive smoking for children.