Smokers also willing to pay price for tobacco-friendly flights

As smoking bans continue to make headlines in Germany, Australia and the UK, findings from international market research firm Synovate's latest survey show that 80% of respondents in 15 countries across the globe are in favour of such bans, primarily because of the positive influence these are perceived to have upon public health.

The June 2007 study also shows that 60 percent of respondents who say they are smokers support bans in public places such as restaurants, bars and buildings, compared to nearly 90 percent of non-smokers.

Although pubs across the world have started retiring their ashtrays, other businesses have started looking into opportunities presented by catering to a smokers' market.

Seventeen percent of all respondents agree that they are willing to pay extra to fly on an airline that allows smoking – an insight that comes in handy for Germany's Smintair, the world's first airline promising to "reinstate the liberty of smoking in all seats".

Synovate's smoking ban study polled over 8,500 respondents in Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Italy, Korea, the Netherlands, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Taiwan, Thailand, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

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> Smoking bans win global support

> Smoker statistics

> The smokers–only target market