SMOKING bans have significantly reduced the number of people being admitted to hospital for heart attacks, strokes and respiratory diseases.
American researchers found that strict laws in workplaces, restaurants and bars have led to the most dramatic improvements in health.
Scotland was the first country in the UK to introduce the smoking ban, which came into force on March 26, 2006.
The American Heart Association journal, Circulation, analysed 45 studies around the world and reported that heart attack hospital admissions declined by an average of 15% following bans.
Admissions for strokes also fell, by around 16%, while the number of people admitted for respiratory diseases such as asthma and emphysema fell 24%.
Maureen Talbot, a senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "The risks of passive smoking on our health is well known and this is the reason smoking legislation was introduced.
"Restrictions on smoking in public can help smokers to cut down or quit as well as reducing our exposure to second-hand smoke.
"This study provides encouraging data about the benefits of a smoke-free environment on our heart health and shows that the right decision was made five years ago. If we want this downward trend to continue, policy makers should introduce further measures to reduce the appeal of smoking."
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