Between autonomy and interaction: Changing attitudes towards smoking bans in public places from 2007 to 2010

In 2007, a smoking law was implemented in Denmark, banning indoor tobacco smoke in public places such as pubs, restaurants, workplaces, public offices, hospitals and shopping malls. The law marks a paradigm shift in Danish tobacco policy manifesting a stronger structural focus than has been the case for a majority of the previous approaches, which have had a socioeconomic unequal effect on the population. At the time of implementation, the law was object to extensive criticism from smokers, especially in certain subgroups, who considered it to be a violation of their personal freedom and rights.

Based on a sample of 46,688 respondents in 11 municipalities in the Western part of the Copenhagen area this paper analyses the change in population attitudes towards the smoking law between 2007 and 2010. Furthermore, it compares the results to national and international literature on changing attitudes towards structural initiatives before and after the implementation and discusses what causes changes in the population’s attitudes and whether the attitudes are best described as autonomous or as interactive with societal changes.