The Stroke Association's response to the Queen's Speech which announced plans to ban smoking in some public places

The Stroke Association welcomes the Government's decision to address the issue of smoking in public places, expected to be announced in the Queen's Speech tomorrow. The Stroke Association hopes that the Government's decision to introduce a bill to ban smoking in public places will be as far reaching as possible to protect the public from passive smoking.

Joe Korner, Director of Communications for The Stroke Association said: "It is vital that the Government addresses this serious issue now. Every five minutes someone in England and Wales has a stroke. Around a quarter of all strokes are linked to smoking and passive smokers are nearly twice as likely to have a stroke than those who don't live or work in a smoky atmosphere.

Whilst The Stroke Association welcomes the measures expected in the Queen's Speech tomorrow, as a member of the Smoking Control Network, we call for a complete ban in all enclosed public spaces including premises that do not serve food and membership clubs on top of the proposed ban on smoking in all enclosed public places and workplaces. Only this will ensure the protection of staff and members of the public that would otherwise be put at risk."

Notes to editor

1. For media enquiries, please contact the media team at The Stroke Association on 020 7566 1500 or e-mail press@stroke.org.uk. Please note that we have an ISDN facility. Stroke Information Help line: 0845 30 33 100.

2. Each year over 130,000 people in England and Wales have a stroke. Of all people who suffer from a stroke, about a third are likely to die within the first 10 days, about a third are likely to make a recovery within one month and about a third are likely to be left disabled and needing rehabilitation. Stroke has a greater disability impact than any other medical condition. A quarter of a million people are living with long-term disability as a result of stroke in the UK.

3. The Stroke Association is the only national charity solely concerned with combating stroke in people of all ages. It funds research into prevention, treatment and better methods of rehabilitation and helps stroke patients and their families directly through its community services. These include dysphasia support, family support, information services, welfare grants, publications and leaflets. We also campaign, educate and inform to increase knowledge of stroke at all levels of society and we act as a voice for everyone affected by stroke. The Stroke Association has nearly 3,000 volunteers working throughout England and Wales.

4. A stroke happens when the blood supply to the brain is disrupted. Most strokes occur when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood to the brain. Some strokes are caused by bleeding in or around the brain from a burst blood vessel. When the blood supply is disrupted, parts of the brain become damaged or destroyed. Some strokes are fatal whist others can cause permanent or temporary paralysis to one side of the body and loss of the ability to speak, read or write. Recovery may be slow and can vary from person to person.

back to top|