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Portuguese Strongly Support Smoking Ban

May 06, 2006

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Many adults in Portugal believe smoking should be prohibited in specific zones, according to a poll by Aximage published in Correio da Manha. 91.3 per cent of respondents support enacting a smoking ban in all public places such as restaurants, bars and offices.

On Apr. 5, Portugal's government introduced a proposal that seeks to outlaw smoking in public places, and raise the legal smoking age from 16 years to 18 years. Health minister Antonio Correia de Campos declared, "If the government put the document up for public discussion, it's because it's open to other opinions."

Spain and Italy have introduced smoking bans over the past two years. Last month, French president Jacques Chirac said his government would look into a prohibition, declaring, "These addictions are major cancer causes. They are diseases and should be treated as such."

The Socialist Party (PS) won the February 2005 parliamentary ballot in the European nation, garnering 45.3 per cent of the vote and electing 121 lawmakers to the 230-seat Assembly of the Republic. Socialist leader Jose Socrates took over as prime minister in March.

Polling Data

Do you support or oppose enacting a smoking ban in all public places such as restaurants, bars and offices?

Support

91.3%

Oppose

7.3%

No opinion

1.4%

Source: Aximage / Correio da Manha
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 550 Portuguese adults, conducted from Apr. 22 to Apr. 24, 2006. No margin of error was provided.