What Ireland’s smoking ban 20 years ago can teach us about big changes to human behaviour
- Written by Renaud Foucart, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Lancaster University Management School, Lancaster University
In March 2004, the Republic of Ireland became the first country in the world to ban smoking in indoor public places, including bars and restaurants.
Every country that eventually followed suit wrestled with the same arguments. The bans were seen as a good idea for health reasons, but widely opposed as being against civil liberties, and potentially...
