Figures presented at a Royal College of Physicians (RCP) conference this week have shown that, every week, a worker in the hospitality industry dies from passive smoking.

The figures, calculated by Professor Konrad Jamrozik, of Imperial College in London, have revealed that passive smoking at work causes 49 deaths a year in the hospitality sector – twice as many as from domestic exposure within the group.

The RCP has labelled the figures ‘unacceptable’ and immediately called for a review into the UK smoking laws.

It said: “These deaths could be completely prevented by making all indoor public places and workplaces smoke free.”

Carol Black, RCP president, said: “Environmental tobacco smoke in pubs, bars, restaurants and other public places are seriously damaging to the health of employees as well as the general public.”

She continued: “Making these places smoke-free not only protects vulnerable staff and the public, it will also help over 300,000 people in Britain to stop smoking completely.”

At its ‘Environmental Tobacco Smoke and the Hospitality Industry’ conference on 17 May, the RCP repeated its call for comprehensive smoke free policies – one that was backed last November by all the Royal Colleges of Medicine and gained the support of the Royal College of Nursing at their annual conference last week. Details: www.rcplondon.ac.uk