A coalition of doctors, nurses and charities today renewed demands for a total ban on smoking in public places, warning that government plans to allow smoking in some pubs would increase health inequalities.

The call came at the end of the consultation period on proposed legislation that would partially ban smoking in public places, exempting pubs that do not serve food.

A study for Cancer Research and Action on Smoking and Health found that that many publicans, particularly those in poorer areas, would stop serving food so they could get around a planned law. The charities said the survey of 1,250 bar managers provided "final evidence" that the exemptions should be dropped.

The Cancer Research chief executive, Professor Alex Markham, said: "Our survey provides strong evidence that a partial smokefree law would widen the health gap between rich and poor."

Nursing leaders also called for a total smoking ban to save up to 30 people a day from the fatal effects of passive smoking.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has written to the health secretary, Patricia Hewitt, urging her to take immediate action to ban smoking in all enclosed public places. Nearly 5,000 nurses and RCN supporters have petitioned Ms Hewitt for a total ban.

Dr Beverly Malone, the RCN general secretary, criticised the government's plans to exempt pubs that do not serve food as "nonsensical". She cited a British Medical Journal study that found second-hand smoke kills 11,000 people a year in the UK.

She said: "The issue of whether a pub serves food or not is irrelevant. This is about having no choice about breathing in the smoke of others and the devastating effects of passive smoking on health.

"Exemptions will only exacerbate health inequalities as people in deprived areas are more likely to live near pubs exempt from legislation designed to protect them against smoking."

The Trade Union Congress warned ministers that anything other than a total ban would threaten the lives of hundreds of workers. It said that the proposed exemptions to the ban would cause a "confusing mess".

Its general secretary, Brendan Barber, said: "The confusing attempt at a compromise that depends on whether pubs serve prepared food has not stood up to public debate, and should be quietly dropped."

He urged the government to reject the drinks and hospitality industry's proposal for smoking areas in all pubs, as this would leave workers and the non-smoking public at risk.

Meanwhile, the government today published research showing that 60% of smokers fail to ask permission from non-smokers before lighting up, despite the well-known risks of passive smoking.

The findings came as the NHS launched a new advertising campaign to remind smokers of the dangers of second-hand smoke.

The survey found that 21% of non-smokers still did not feel comfortable asking somebody not to smoke near them, even though exposure to passive smoking increases the risk of lung cancer by 24% and heart disease by 25%.

The TV ad features a group of family and friends relaxing at home, with one of them smoking. It then shows how the smoke moves around everyone in the room, snaking around their necks revealing the long-term damage it can cause.

But doctors' leaders said the new ad campaign "smack[ed] of double standards" given the government's continued resistance to implementing a complete ban on smoking in public places.

Dr Vivienne Nathanson, head of science and ethics at the British Medical Association, said: "If the government is aware of the hazards, how can it defend only a partial ban on smoking in public places - exposing many workers to toxic chemicals just because they're unlucky enough to work in pubs and bars not selling food?

"While the new campaign highlights the individual smoker's responsibility, it is inexcusable for the government to absolve itself of its own responsibility for its half-hearted stance on protecting vulnerable workers."