Progress in protecting non-smokers from environmental tobacco smoke in California workplaces

Abstract

Correspondence to : John Pierce PhD, Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0901, USA Abstract Objective To evaluate changes in work place smoking policies and reported non smoker exposure to environmental to bacco smoke in California workplaces. Design -Data were gathered using the California Tobacco Survey, which was conducted among 13199 adult indoor workers in 1990, 5570 in 1992, and 15745 in 1993. Results Between 1990 and 1993, the percentage of indoor employees report ing smoke-free workplaces increased sig nificantly from 35.0% to 64.6%. In 1993, nearly 90 % of employees reported a work area smoking ban as compared to only 54% of workers in 1990. Reported en vironmental tobacco smoke exposure decreased significantly among non smoking indoor employees. Non-smokers in workplaces without a work area smoking policy were 15 times more likely to be exposed to environmental tobacco smoke than were non-smokers in a smoke-free workplace. Among non smokers employed in smoke-free work places, reported environmental tobacco smoke exposure declined from 9.2% in 1990 to 4.0% in 1992, but increased to 11.2% in 1993. Conclusions The increase in smoke-free policies has considerably reduced the proportion of non-smokers exposed to environmental tobacco smoke in Cali fornia workplaces. In addition, compli ance with smoke-free policies was nearly 90% in the three years surveyed. The data also suggest that only smoke-free workplaces adequately protect non smokers.