The findings, published in Addiction, suggest that while smoking bans may influence smokers to quit, they are likely to already be those who are motivated to give up tobacco and that further efforts may be needed to get more to quit.
"Other contextual factors and social norms continue to influence smoking behavior," said Lisa Szatkowski, a researcher at the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies at the University of Nottingham and lead author of the study.
"Factors such as the provision of outdoor facilities for smoking, or spending time with smoking friends, may mean smoke free legislation does not act as a continuing stimulus to quit over time," she told Reuters Health by email.
The study looked at the change in numbers of prescriptions doctors wrote for medications to help smokers quit before and after the law was enacted on July 1, 2007, focusing on 350 medical practices.
The medications included nicotine replacement therapy, the antidepressant bupropion, and the newest antismoking aid varenicline, sold as Chantix in the United States, that came on the U.K. market in 2006.
In the nine months preceding the ban, prescriptions for all the medications rose by 6.4 percent, but nine months after the ban they dropped by 6.4 percent.
"It's frankly a little disappointing, but not surprising," said David Abrams, the executive director of the Steven A. Schroeder National Institute for Tobacco Research and Policy Studies at the anti-smoking organization legacy.
Abrams, who was not involved in the study, said the impending ban likely motivated people who were already poised to quit.
Once the ban is in place, "maybe you've already skimmed the cream off the top of those who were already motivated to quit," he added, noting that smoke-free legislation might lead to more quitting if there was additional encouragement from media campaigns, healthcare providers and outreach efforts.
But both he and Szatkowski said the results did not mean that smoking bans are ineffective.
"The primary aim of smoke free legislation was to reduce non-smokers' exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, and the bans in the UK have undoubtedly been successful in meeting this aim. Other research supports this," said Szatkowski.
A previous report found that in the year following the U.K. smoking ban, hospitalisations for heart attacks dropped 2.4 percent, which the researchers attributed to the legislation.
■単語
ebb
[名]((単数形))
1 下げ潮，引き潮，落潮，退潮(ebb tide)（⇔flood tide）
the ebb and flow of the sea [the tide]
海［潮］の干満
be at [on] the ebb
潮が引いている
Every tide has its ebb.
((ことわざ)) 満ちれば欠けるが世の習い.
2 衰退，衰微，衰亡；衰退［衰微］期
the ebb and flow of life
人生の盛衰
at a low ebb
低調［衰退期］で.
━━[動](自)
1 〈潮・水が〉引く（⇔flow）((away)).
2 〈気力・活力などが〉衰える，減退する，〈身代などが〉傾く，左前になる；〈光が〉薄らぐ((away))
The joy ebbed out of her heart.
喜びが彼女の心から消え去った
My youth is ebbing away.
私の青春は過ぎていく.
［古英語ebba（引き潮）］
spike
[名]
1 （太い木材を止める）大くぎ，（鉄道レール用の）犬くぎ.
2 （武器に用いる）先のとがった金属；（へいの上につける）忍び返し.
3 （靴底に打つ）スパイク；((〜s))スパイクシューズ.
4 （子ジカの）一本角；若サバ（体長約15cm）；（大砲の）火門栓；((俗))銃剣.
5 （折れ線グラフで）（上に）山形に折れた部分；急上昇，急増.
6 ((米俗))注射針［器］.
hang up one's spikes
((米俗))野球［プロスポーツ］界から引退する.
━━[動](他)
1 …を大くぎで止める；…を大くぎで［に］突き刺す.
2 〈靴に〉スパイクを打ちつける；〈へいに〉忍び返しを取りつける.
3 （スポーツで）…をスパイクシューズで傷つける，スパイクする.
4 〈口装砲の〉火門をふさぐ.
5 …を無効にする；〈発熱などを〉抑える；〈記事を〉没にする.
6 ((略式))〈飲み物に〉（アルコール・麻薬を）加える；…に（きつい香辛料を）加える((with ...)).
7 （バレーボールで）〈ボールを〉スパイクする.
8 ((俗))〈人を〉撃つ(shoot).
━━(自)大くぎのように突き出る
The pointer's tail spikeed upward.
猟犬の尾はピンと立った.
［古ノルド語. △SPIKE2, SPOKE2］
addiction
[名][U][C]（麻薬などの）常用癖，依存症，中毒；（悪癖に）おぼれること，耽溺(たんでき)；（…を）欲しくてたまらない気持ち((to ...))
addiction to alcohol
過度のアルコール依存.
Contextual
[形]文脈上の，前後関係から見た.
Provision
[名]
1 [U][C]（食糧などの）供給，（…への）支給，提供，人員配置，定員((for ...))
public provision for the poor
貧民に対する公の食糧支給.
2 [U]（予測される危険などに対する）準備，用意((for, against ...))
make provision for the future
将来に備える
He made financial provisions for his family.
彼は家族の経済的な備えをした.
3 支給量；用意［準備］された物；設備；貯蔵品，たくわえ，ストック.
4 ((〜s))食糧，糧食.
5 （法律などの）条項；（…という）規定，条款，ただし書き((that節)).
6 [U]キリスト教叙任，叙階；聖職直任.
━━[動](他)（…のために）…に食糧を供給準備する.
Legislation
[名][U]
1 立法行為，法律制定
Congress has the power of legislation.
議会が立法権をもっている.
2 ((時に集合的))（制定された）法律.
Stimulus
[名]（複 -li /-li/）
1 [C][U]刺激（するもの）；励み；激励
Reduced tariffs are a stimulus to trade.
関税引き下げは貿易を促進する.
2 刺激物，興奮剤.
Therapy
[名]（複 -pies）[U][C]
1 （病気の）治療，療法；理学療法
get into therapy
治療を受ける
in therapy
治療を受けて
be in therapy
治療を受けている.
2 治療効果.
3 ＝psychotherapy.
4 緊張をときほぐす治療.
