Occupational Health & Safety: Non-smoking workplaces lead to more smoking

Employees in workplaces with no smoking restrictions smoke almost five more cigarettes daily than those whose workplaces completely ban smoking, says a study by the University of Toronto's Ontario Tobacco Research Unit (OTRU).

"Usually, the reason given for banning smoking in the workplace is to benefit non-smokers and this is a valid and important reason," says OTRU's Dr. Thomas Stephens. "What this study shows is that the bans also have health benefits for smokers themselves.