A decade ago, only 30 percent believed that. Although health remains the most salient of the issues addressed by nonsmokers, the Roper results continued to report an increase in the number of people who said they found it annoying to be around smokers. Two-thirds of nonsmokers said they were annoyed. In 1970, only one-third reported annoyance. You've heard the numbers.
Public opinion is increasingly on the anti-smoker' side as well.
Our 1984 Roper survey found increasing support for separate sections for smokers in public places, especially in eating and work places. A decade ago, about half the public favored separate smoking and nonsmoking sections in restaurants. The Tobacco Merchant's Association took a look at smoking restriction legislation and cigarette consumption between 1951 and 1982. Those 220 people in our survey who work under smoking restrictions represent some 15 million Americans. That's 350 million packs of cigarettes.