In U.S., Support for Complete Smoking Ban Increases to 22%; Another 55% support banning smoking in all public places.
Byline: Andrew Dugan
Synopsis: The percentage of Americans who want to ban smoking entirely in the U.S. continues to climb, and support for a ban in all public places remains higher than in the past. Americans still believe smoking and secondhand smoke are harmful.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- More Americans than ever want to ban smoking outright: 22% say so today, up from 12% in 2007. Separately, 55% would make smoking in all public places totally illegal, also a proposal that has gained considerable support since 2007.
These data are from Gallup's annual Consumption Habits poll, conducted July 10-14.
Nonwhites, Less Educated More Likely to Want to Ban Smoking
Though support is growing, the percentage of Americans wanting to ban smoking entirely remains relatively low. However, 39% of nonwhites back a universal smoking prohibition. Also, those with no more than a high school diploma, at 29%, are more likely than those with more education to say they want to make smoking illegal, even though Gallup has found that Americans with no college education are generally the most likely to smoke.
Fewer than one in 10 smokers support outlawing smoking. Also, individuals living in the Midwest are comparatively less supportive of a complete ban -- 12% say smoking should be illegal, compared with roughly a quarter in other regions. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to support a smoking ban, with Republican support roughly in line with that of the overall adult population.
More See Secondhand Smoke as Harmful
The same survey finds that Americans' attitudes toward the harmfulness of smoking and secondhand smoke have remained relatively stable over the past decade, with 82% now saying smoking is "very harmful" to adults. Another 13% deem it somewhat harmful, while 4% see it as not too or not at all harmful.
A new high of 59% now believe secondhand smoke is very harmful, and another 29% believe it is somewhat harmful.
Though fewer adults say secondhand smoke is as harmful as smoking itself, there has been a dramatic change in attitudes on this question since 1994, when 36% said exposure to smoke was very harmful to adults.
Smokers Less Likely to See Smoking or Secondhand Smoke as Harmful
The percentage of Americans saying smoking is harmful shows remarkably little variation by age, education, race, and political and ideological group. One segment that -- not surprisingly -- stands out from this broad consensus is smokers themselves, who are...
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