More than half of Britons back New York-style bans on smoking in restaurants, according to a survey published today.

Bans could help nicotine addicts to give up, and discourage teenagers from starting by making clear it was publicly unacceptable, health campaigners said.

Up to 100 MPs support a backbench bill to be introduced tomorrow to ban smoking in restaurants and cafes. MPs are hoping to embarrass the Government into action.

'The more smoke-free places you go to, the easier it gets, and that's why the industry fights [bans] so hard - because consumption goes down,' said Judith Watt of SmokeFree London, an alliance of NHS trusts which funded the Mori survey.

The smokers' rights lobby says there is no justification for hounding people out of a legal habit - non-smokers can simply go to places with smoke-free areas.

The Department of Health has blocked calls for a ban on workplace smoking - which would mean bars and restaurants would prevent customers lighting up, to protect their staff - favouring a voluntary approach.

But Gareth Thomas, the Labour MP for Harrow West who will introduce the bill, said most of the public would support a ban: 'Breathing other people's smoke presents more of a risk than living in a building containing asbestos.'

Last month New York introduced a total ban on smoking in bars, cafes and restaurants, a move estimated to save up to 1,000 lives a year, despite howls of protest from Manhattan's smokers.

The British survey found 53% - including 23% of smokers - wanted smoke-free restaurants, while 76% agreed that waiting staff had the right to work in smoke-free surroundings.

Judith Watt said: 'The Government has banned tobacco advertising, but the best advertising is an adult smoking. The less kids see that and see smokers having to go outside because it's socially unacceptable to smoke inside - that sends a clear message.'