Barriers and facilitators to implementation of smoke-free area policy in public places: a scoping review

Abstract

Enforcing laws requiring smoke-free areas in different locations is one way the government can lower cigarette consumption and exposure to cigarette smoke. The purpose of this study was, thus, to examine and summarize studies that identified facilitators and barriers to the implementation of a smoke-free area policy in public places. The researchers carried out systematic searches in December 2023 within these specific databases: Scopus, PubMed, ProQuest, Emerald Insight, and EBSCO and included studies on the implementation of smoke-free area policy that were published in English between 2018-2021. Out of the 684 research reports that were found, only 12 were accepted into the scoping study. The findings exhibited several barriers to the implementation of smoke-free area policy, including personal characteristics, the presence of tobacco sellers and smoking aids, lack of enforcement management, lack of support and collaboration from local government, lack of examples of policy implementation by local government, and no smoking signs or smoke-free policy signs. Meanwhile, the facilitating factors encompass fines and penalties, the presence of access to tobacco cessation services, smoke-free policy campaigns, and knowledge and attitudes toward smoke-free area policies. The evidence collected from the review’s findings suggests that there are more barriers than facilitating factors. This indicates that numerous adverse behaviors in the implementation of the smoke-free area policy are still present. The subsequent step following this study is to carry out primary research to thoroughly investigate the execution of the smoke-free area policy in public places.