7 Important Reasons to go Smoke-Free in
workplaces
1. Protects the health and safety of staff and service users
 There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) according to
the World Health Organisation (WHO). SHS poses the same health dangers to those
exposed to it as smoking does to the smoker. The National (Australian) Occupational
Health and Safety Commissioni says this is the fundamental reason for its
elimination in the workplace.
 Even in outdoor environments, designated smoking areas are rarely far enough
away to protect other non-smoking people from SHS. Studies of air quality around
smoking areas demonstrate that even in outdoor areas the levels of SHS can be
dangerously highii. SHS has particular dangers because the side-stream smoke from
cigarettes contains much higher levels of the carcinogens as smoke inhaled by the
smokeriii.
 Therefore 100% smoke-free workplaces represents best practice. The World Health
Organisation (WHO) recognises that partial bans with designated smoking areas are
not effective in achieving protection from SHS and don’t encourage quitting.
2. Supports quitting
 The sight and smell of others smoking particularly colleagues, friends etc, is a major
trigger to resuming smoking for those trying to quit or cut down. Smoke-free
workplaces support people by not creating additional barriers for staff and service
users to quit/cut down smoking.
 Best practice in smoke-free workplace environments includes offering a range of
evidence-based quit smoking supports to interested staff and service users to
promote quitting.
3. Prevents the uptake of smoking
• The normalisation of smoking in a range of workplace and service environments can
encourage the uptake of smoking particularly by young people. Mental health
facilities and prisons are good examples of settings where people take up smoking
as a result of being incarcerated or hospitalised. Other work sectors such as
hospitality and community services are further examples of work environments
which foster the uptake of smoking through workplace norms i.e. ‘only break you
get is the smoko’.
4. Good health promotion practice
 Environments have a key role to play in shaping and influencing the behaviours of
individuals. Health enhancing and risk behaviours are not simply about individual
choice but are shaped by the social settings, workplaces and communities in which
people live and work. Creating supportive environments in which people can
maximise their health and wellbeing is an essential component of a health
promoting approach within workplaces.
5. Promoting smoke –free environments de-normalises smoking without demonising
smokers.
 Smoke-free cinemas and public transport are great examples where smoking has
been de-normalised, arguably with universal support. Smoke-free environments
cater for the majority of people who don’t smoke, (more than 80% Australians don’t
smoke). People are still free to exercise their individual choice to continue smoking
but simply asked not to smoke in certain environments i.e. workplaces or public
areas where their smoking could affect others.
 In smoke-free workplaces, smokers are restricted to smoking only in their personal
time such as unpaid breaks. This further de-normalises smoking by identifying
smoking as a personal behavior that is not compatible with the workplace.
6. Saves costs for the organisation
 Workplace productivity is improved in smoke-free workplaces. There is less
absenteeism as the health of staff improves, and reduced wasted time when staff
are restricted to smoking only on unpaid time (lunch breaks). Staff morale is also
improved when the perceived inequity of smoking staff taking additional breaks to
smoke is removed.
 Workplace safety is enhanced because the risks of accidents and injury are reduced
when smoking is no longer permitted.
 Cleaning and maintenance costs associated with smoking are also less.
7. Smoke-free aligns with social justice values
 Smoking is a social justice issue because rates of smoking among people living with
disadvantage are much higher than for other members of the Australian community.
People with multiple disadvantages have the highest rates of all. Smoking is a major
reason for the disparity in health between less advantaged and more advantaged
citizens.
 People from disadvantaged groups who smoke also face more barriers in quitting
and receive less interest and support from health and community services workers
to quit. Smoking is still commonly seen as a matter of personal choice for people
from disadvantaged groups, as the ‘least of their problems’ and secondary to the
‘bigger’ issues that underpin disadvantage. When smoking is de-prioritised and is
perceived as ‘a small pleasure’ or a ‘crutch’, smoking among disadvantaged groups
can be inadvertently reinforced, and the belief that quitting is desirable and possible
for disadvantaged groups eroded.
i
National Occupational Health & Safety Commission (2003) Guidance Note on the Elimination of Environmental Tobacco
Smoke in the Workplace [NOHSC:3019(2003)], Commonwealth of Australia
ii
Repace, James L. 2007. “FACT SHEET: Outdoor Air Pollution From Second-hand Smoke.” Tufts University School of
Medicine and Repace Associates, Inc.
iii
IARC Monograph, volume 83. Tobacco Smoke and Involuntary Smoking. 2002