Jump to full article: Agence France Presse (AFP) (fr), 2007-09-29
Intro: Ireland's smoking ban has not just improved the air quality in its famous pubs, but has also boosted the quality of music sessions for drinkers, doctors reported Friday.
Specifically it has helped musicians clean up their traditional instruments, clogged up with years of dirt in smoke-filled pubs, so they can produce clearer sounds in fug-free bars. . . .
Doctors at Dublin's St Vincent's Hospital carried out a survey of people involved in the cleaning, repair, maintenance and renovation care of accordions.
Writing in the British Medical Journal, John Garvey and colleagues said they wanted to check the impact of the smoking ban on the quality of traditional Irish music played in the smoke-free pubs.
They managed to contact six of the seven Irish experts who work with the instruments.
All said there was a strong smell of cigarette smoke from accordions played in a smoke-filled environment when they are opened. Soot-like dirt was deposited throughout the instrument. . . .
The doctors concluded the smoking ban has been "music to the ears of the people of Ireland."
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