Department of Health

Website of the Department of Health

Please note that this website has a UK government access keys system.

You are here:

Smoking-related behaviour and attitudes, 2003

A report on research using the ONS Omnibus Survey produced by the Office for National Statistics on behalf of the Department of Health

  • Document type:
    Publication
  • Author:
    Deborah Lader, Eileen Goddard (Office for National Statistics)
  • Published date:
    6 July 2004
  • Primary audience:
    Professionals
  • Product number:
    1 85774 571 X
  • Gateway reference:
    2004
  • Pages:
    119
  • Copyright holder:
    Crown copyright

This report presents the results of a survey on smoking behaviour and attitudes. This survey was the eighth in a series of studies carried out for the Department of Health and was conducted in October and November 2003 as part of the ONS Omnibus Survey. Earlier surveys were carried out in November and December 1995, 1996 and 1997 and October and November 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002.

In 2003, the section on people's attitudes to smoking restrictions in public places was expanded to ask about indoor shopping centres, indoor sports and leisure centres and indoor areas at railway and bus stations. In order to get a better picture of people's sensitivity to the risk of second-hand smoke to children, respondents were also asked whether they thought there should be restrictions on smoking in places where there are, or are likely to be, children under the age of 16. Further questions were added on the type of smoking restriction respondents would favour in pubs and how often they would visit pubs if these restrictions were in place.

In addition to examining trends, the analysis also explores the relationship between various smoking-related attitudes and behaviour. The key topics examined and presented in this report include:

  • smoking behaviour and habits
  • views about giving up smoking
  • attempts to stop smoking
  • perceptions and awareness of issues related to smoking
  • attitudes related to smoking
  • smokers' response to their attitudes.

Additional links

Ordering publications

Contact details for obtaining hard-copy DH publications.

Help viewing PDFs

Help viewing PDFs

Useful tips to ensure you get the most from PDFs and the free Reader program. Topics covered include accessibility, troubleshooting and searching files.

Access keys