Smoking In Public Places Research Articles

Tobacco use, secondhand exposure and knowledge of secondhand and third-hand smoke among medical college students in Western Nepal: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesThis study was conducted to assess the prevalence of tobacco use, secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure and knowledge about SHS and third-hand smoke (THS) exposure among students in a medical college...

Prevalence and Determine Knowledge and Attitude of Tobacco Smoking Among Secondary School Students in Sulaimani City

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence rate and assess knowledge and attitudes among secondary students in Sulaimani city. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among school students, from eight randomly selected secondary schools in Sulaimani city, Iraq. 1200 students participated in this study during six months from October 2022 to April 2023. The respondents were explained about each section of the questionnaire form. It describes behaviors, knowledge, beliefs, opinions, and other variables related to tobacco use. Results: The prevalence rate of current tobacco use (all types) is 21.8%, from this rate; 13.2% were cigarette smoking, 11.9% waterpipe, 24.7% used electronic smoke such as vape and pods and 50.2% of students used all types of tobacco product. The prevalence rates of tobacco use in males (31.3%) and females (12.1%). The rates were higher among students whose mother and father, schoolmates, relatives, and friends were smokers than those whose parents, schoolmates, relatives, and friends were non-smokers. A higher rate of smokers have not thought about the harmful of other people’s cigarettes on them, 16.7%, 25%, 9.9%, and 4.8% of smokers have not thought definitely, probably not, probably yes, and definitely yes. Regarding the attitude of the smokers, it showed statistically that there were significant associations for example only 6.6% of smokers were with the banning of smoking in public places while 21.7% of them were with not banning smoking in public places. Conclusion: Despite the prevalence rate of smoking in Sulaimani City being relatively lower than in other cities in Iraq the rate is still high. The rate was higher in males than females. In addition, there were factors connected with smoking initiation which are parents, schoolmates, relatives, and friends smoking. A higher rate of smokers did not think about the harmful of other people’s cigarettes to them and a lower rate of smokers were with the banning smoking in public places.

Islam: The Complete, Functional and Practical Guide to Life

People say developed countries became developed by following secularism while Muslim countries became backward by following Islam. This is false perception. In fact developed countries are following Islamic principles unknowingly in all the areas of development; Islamic principles of rule of law, justice, honesty, integrity, research and knowledge learning, development and application. Developed countries and corruption ridden Muslim countries are self harming in all those areas where they are not following Islamic principles; resource intensive hedonism, predatory economic and financial policies, corruption, fraud, injustice, prejudice and selective exploitation of people. Latest development in many developed countries is adoption of prohibition of smoking in public places and this is also based on Islamic principle of avoiding greater harm. So Islam is an essential aspect of humanity’s existence. It teaches us how to conduct ourselves in all aspects of life in a morally and legally upright manner. Islam created a well-defined system of laws governing moral behavior, civil and political rights, social issues and rights, marriage and divorce laws, inheritance rights, and all other matters we deal with daily. It serves as a guide to life in all its facets and is not just for the mosque. Since Islam is logical and rational, it keeps a Muslim free from confusion of any kind. These are some of the main points raised in the paper regarding how Islam is a comprehensive, functional, and practical code of life. Nine major relevant and significant fields have been discussed: the Islamic political system, law and legal system, Jihad, economic system, education system, marriage and family, Islamic society, the mindset, and the hijab. The discussion is analytical and comparative addressing secular ideologies based on Islamic texts and social sciences. The paper establishes that the Islamic system is the alternative system that can replace secular ideologies. This paper has been summarized from a broader and larger discussion of the same topic.

Predictors Of Tobacco Smoking Initiation Among Indonesian Teenagers: The 2019 Global Youth Tobacco Survey

Introduction We examined the predictors of tobacco smoking initiation considering factors such as age, gender, pocket money, exposure to smoke in public outdoor places, anti-tobacco media, smoking parents, smoking teachers, and smoking friends among adolescents in Indonesia. Methods Using data from the 2014–2019 National Youth Tobacco Survey grades 7–12, data from 9,655 teenagers were analyzed. The research used the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) questionnaire. The analysis used univariate, chi-square and logistic regression with the STATA application version 15. Results In total, 9655 adolescent respondents participated. Multivariate tests indicated that teenagers aged 13-15 years (AOR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.08-1.66) and teenagers aged> 15 years (AOR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.25-2.17), teenagers who were male (AOR: 13.99, 95% CI: 11.11-17.63), teenagers who were exposed to cigarette smoke in public places outside the room (AOR: 2.00, 95% CI: 1.74-2.29), teenagers who had never seen anti-tobacco messages in the mass media (AOR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.02-1.48), Teenagers who had parents who smoke (AOR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.08-1.46), teenagers who saw teachers smoking in the school area (AOR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.18-1.71), and teenagers who accepted offers of cigarettes from friends (AOR: 15.11, 95% CI: 10.33-22.11). Conclusion The initiation of tobacco smoking among teenagers in Indonesia can be predicted by various factors such as age, gender, exposure to smoke in outdoor public places, exposure to anti-tobacco media, and influence of parents, teachers, and friends.

The crossroads of work and home: linkages between smoke-free policies at work and household environments

BackgroundTobacco use causes over eight million global deaths annually, with seven million directly attributed to tobacco use and 1.2 million to second hand smoke (SHS). Smoke-free environments are crucial to counter SHS. Although India banned smoking in public places in 2008, SHS exposure remains high. Studies have noted that limiting smoking in workplaces, restaurants, etc., helps to reduce overall smoking and reduce SHS exposure. Under this background, the study explores the linkages between smoke-free workplaces and living in smoke-free homes in India.MethodsThe two rounds of the GATS India (2009-10 and 2016-17) have been used for the study. The study focuses on male tobacco smokers working indoors or outdoors or both indoors and outdoors. The sample for the study was 2,969 for GATS 1 and 2,801 for GATS 2. Dependent variables include living in a smoke-free home, while the independent variables were adherence to a smoke-free office policy and socio-demographic variables. The two rounds of the GATS data were pooled for analysis. Statistical analysis involves bivariate and multivariate analysis.ResultsFindings reveal that 41% of respondents worked in smoke-free workplaces in GATS 2. Nationally, smoke-free homes increased from 35% in 2009–2010 to 44% in 2016-17. Individuals with smoke-free workplaces were more likely to have smoke-free homes. The Southern region consistently exhibited the highest proportion of smoke-free homes. Urban areas and higher education correlated with increased smoke-free homes. Logistic regression analysis confirmed that workplace smoke-free status is a significant predictor of smoke-free homes. In GATS 2, respondents aged 30 years and above were less likely to have smoke-free homes, while education and Southern region residence positively influenced smoke-free homes.ConclusionsThe correlation between smoke-free workplaces and smoke-free homes is linked to stringent workplace no-smoking policies, potentially deterring individuals from smoking at home. Opportunities exist for the expansion and stringent implementation of the smoke-free policies among Indian working adults, leveraging the workplace as a key setting for evidence-based tobacco control. The study highlights positive trends in India’s smoke-free homes, crediting workplace policies. Effective policies, education, and regional strategies can advance smoke-free homes, stressing the pivotal role of workplace policies and advocating broader implementation.

Effectiveness of a Telephone Counseling Intervention in Reducing Passive Smoking Among Children.

Legislative smoking bans that prohibit smoking in public places have successfully reduced passive smoking in public areas. However, smokers only partially adhere to smoking restrictions in their homes. Young children are particularly vulnerable to exposure to tobacco smoke because they spend more time at home. In this study, we designed an intervention program based on an empowerment theory to reduce passive smoking among children. The priority participants were nonsmoking mothers living with smokers who smoke in the presence of children. The aim of this randomized control trial study was to examine the effectiveness of this intervention in reducing children's exposure to tobacco smoke at home. The intervention group received tailored educational brochures and two follow-up counseling telephone calls at 2 and 8 weeks, which provided resources to support the mothers to increase their knowledge, skill, and self-confidence in promoting behavior shaping of smokers. The control group received only tailored educational brochures. We found the intervention group demonstrated a higher rate of maternal actions to reduce their children's exposure to smoke and a higher rate than the control group of attempts to avoid smoking in the presence of children at the 16-week follow-up. These results suggest that the intervention helped reduce passive smoking among children. These findings highlight the need to empower and train mothers to help them develop rules for smoking at home. These interventions could be applied in the home of children who live with smokers who are unable or unwilling to quit smoking.

Prevalence and Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Tobacco Use Among Medical and Dental Students in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

Background Tobacco use remains a significant global public health concern, causing millions of preventable and premature deaths annually and imposing substantial economic burdens. India, the second-largest producer and consumer of tobacco products worldwide, bears a significant burden of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. Medical and dental students represent the future healthcare workforce and role models; hence, their tobacco consumption and attitude would play a vital role in tobacco control. This study aims to estimate the prevalence and assess the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding tobacco use among medical and dental students in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using the Global Health Professional Students Survey (GHPSS) questionnaire. The study included third-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) and Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students from two private medical and two dental colleges in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Data were collected from February to April 2019 through anonymous self-administered questionnaires, and descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed. Results A total of 400 students were surveyed, with 16% reporting being current smokers (24.3% males, 8.7% females). Furthermore, 36.8% had tried cigarettes and other tobacco products. Nonsmokers demonstrated stronger support for comprehensive tobacco control policies, such as banning advertising and smoking in public places, compared to current smokers. Most students acknowledged the importance of recording tobacco use history and providing educational materials; however, only around 40% had received formal training on smoking cessation. Conclusion The findings highlight the need for targeted intervention among medical and dental students for tobacco cessation. It is vital to foster a positive attitude toward tobacco control among future healthcare professionals. Health professional institutions should take proactive steps to prevent tobacco use among students and develop initiatives to motivate successful cessation training. Investing in tobacco control education for healthcare professionals is crucial to empower them in tobacco cessation efforts and promote healthier societies.

Global trends in deaths and disability-adjusted life years of diabetes attributable to second-hand smoke and the association with smoke-free policies

ObjectivesThe diabetic burden attributable to second-hand smoke (SHS) is a global public health challenge. We sought to explore the diabetic burden attributable to SHS by age, sex, and socioeconomic status during 1990–2019 and to evaluate the health benefit of smoke-free policies on this burden. Study designCross-sectional study. MethodsThe diabetic burden attributable to SHS was extracted from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2019 dataset. Country-level smoke-free policies were obtained from the World Health Organization Global Health Observatory. The deaths or disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were quantified, and the average annual percentage changes were calculated. Hierarchical linear mixed models were applied to evaluate the health effects. ResultsFrom 1990 to 2019, the absolute number of global deaths and DALYs of diabetes attributable to SHS has doubled, and the age-standardised rate has significantly increased. The disease burden was higher in females than in males and increased with increasing age. The SHS-related diabetic burden varied across regions and countries. Age-standardised death or DALY rates first increased and then decreased with increased Socio-demographic Index (SDI), peaking in the 0.60–0.70 range. In low to low-middle, and middle to high-middle SDI countries, SHS-related diabetic deaths and DALYs were significantly lower in countries with more than 3 smoke-free public places than in countries with 0–2 smoke-free public places. ConclusionsMore attention should be paid to females and the elderly, who bear a heavy SHS-related diabetic burden. Banning smoking in public places was associated with reduced burden of SHS-attributable diabetes, especially in low to middle social development countries.

Analysis on passive smoking exposure in adults aged 40 years and above in China, 2019-2020

Objective: To understand the passive smoking exposure status in adults aged ≥40 years in China. Methods: Local residents aged ≥40 years were enrolled as study subjects from 125 areas of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) surveillance during 2014-2015 and 2019-2020 in 31 provinces of China. A total of 74 559 adults aged ≥40 years were selected through multi-stage stratified cluster sampling for a face to face questionnaire survey and the data from 64 142 study subjects were used for the analysis. The passive smoking exposure rate, the proportions of the adults reporting passive smoking exposure at four types of places and the proportion of the adults living with daily smokers were described by using complicated sampling weighting method, the related factors were analyzed and the results were compared with the data of COPD surveillance during 2014-2015. Results: The passive smoking exposure rate in the adults aged ≥40 years was 46.4% (95%CI: 44.1%-48.8%) in China during 2019-2020, and the rate was higher in women (47.2%, 95%CI:44.8%-49.7%) than in men (44.8%, 95%CI:42.0%-47.6%) and lower in the older people. The office workers had the highest passive smoking exposure rate. The proportions of those reporting passive smoking exposure at homes, workplaces, restaurants, and public transports were 24.3% (95%CI:22.2%-26.4%)、23.3% (95%CI:21.1%-25.5%)、6.6% (95%CI:5.3%-7.9%) and 2.2% (95%CI:1.6%-2.7%). The higher education level the adults had, the less passive smoking exposure at home they reported. The proportions of those living with daily smokers before 14 years old and since 14 years old were 56.4% and 59.2%. Compared with the data during 2014-2015, the overall passive smoking exposure rate in the adults aged ≥40 years during 2019-2020 showed an increase, and the difference was not significant (P=0.356); The passive smoking exposure rate at homes declined, but the exposure rate at workplaces increased, with the biggest increase found in those being engaged in farming, forestry, husbandry, fishery and water conservancy. Multivariate analysis indicated that the factors influencing the passive smoking exposure and the exposure proportions at different places included gender, age, occupation, and education level. Conclusions: The passive smoking exposure rate in China is still high, especially in those being engaged in farming, forestry, husbandry, fishery and water conservancy. It is necessary to strengthen supervision of the enforcement of current smoking bans in public places and promote the legislation of ban smoking in public places. More attention should be paid to smoking ban and protection against passive smoking exposure in women, people with lower education level and people being engaged in in farming, forestry, husbandry, fishery and water conservancy.

Ban on Smoking in Public Places: People’s View

The aim of this paper is to study people’s opinion regarding the ban on smoking in public places. The study has been carried out on the principles of Testing of Hypothesis. Sample Surveys. The inferences have been drawn mainly on the basis of these tests. The nature of statistical information and data required for the purpose of planning and execution of the project idea and for accessing their effectiveness was done in conformity with the objective of the survey by means of a well-defined questionnaire. We carried out our survey in shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, colleges etc. so that we are able to reach people from different classes of the society. For the purpose of analysis, the data obtained from the questionnaire has been classified on the basis of personal information, views about the ban, smoking habits etc.

Assessing exposure to secondhand smoke among Iranian patients with cardiac diseases; a cross-sectional study

IntroductionStudies have linked secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure to adverse health effects. The high prevalence of heart disease necessitates the need for studies in this field. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the exposure to SHS in cardiac patients. MethodThis study is a cross-sectional descriptive study. A total of 430 patients who were referred to Imam Ali Hospital in Kermanshah, Iran, in 2020 were included in the study based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The researchers collected and recorded demographic information, disease history, and exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) through a digital questionnaire. Bivariate analysis was conducted using a chi-square test and an independent T-test, depending on the variable scale. ResultsThe results of the study showed that 237 patients were male (55.12 %) and 193 were female (44.8 %). The prevalence of exposure to secondhand smoke was 72.09 %. Notably, the highest rate of exposure to secondhand smoke was associated with 'exposure to tobacco smoke in public places' with a rate of 69.30 %. Additionally, it was observed that approximately 39.07 % of patients reported exposure to secondhand smoke in public places at least once a week. ConclusionThe present study has found that cardiac patients frequently experience secondhand smoking exposure, with public settings being the primary location of exposure. Implementing intervention strategies and enacting laws that prohibit smoking can effectively mitigate the negative impact of SHS exposure.

Awareness Regarding Cigarette Smoking Among Adult Cigarette Smokers in Bhaktapur, Nepal

Introduction: Cigarette smoking is a highly avoidable factor responsible for a substantial number of deaths and illnesses globally. With a death toll of eight million people worldwide, increasing awareness concerning the dangers of smoking is imperative. Educating people about the national policy against smoking in public places and its detrimental effects can reduce smoking-related health issues and fatalities. This study aimed to assess adult smokers' awareness levels regarding cigarette smoking. Material and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate adult cigarette smokers aged 20 to 59 years in Bhaktapur, Nepal. The study included a sample size of 92 participants, selected using a non-probability sampling technique. Data collection was done through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. The collected data was subjected to both descriptive and inferential analyses using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 16. Results: Among the adult cigarette smokers surveyed, 55.4% of respondents demonstrated an adequate awareness of cigarette smoking. The respondents had sufficient awareness of the policies against and the detrimental effects of smoking on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. However, the level of awareness was insufficient regarding the after-effects on the nervous system, reproductive system, and eye disorders. A significant association was found between the level of awareness and factors such as age (p=0.01), sex (p=0.00), education (p=0.00), occupation (p=0.01), and total average income (p=0.01). Conclusion: Sufficient awareness regarding the ill effects of smoking is still lacking. This highlights the need for increasing awareness regarding the health effects and policies about cigarette smoking, especially in the community setting.

Nicotine as an Environmental Toxin: Implications for Children's Health

Despite significant declines in population smoking rates and effective policies to ban smoking in public places, environmental exposure to nicotine remains prevalent among children. Environmental smoke exposure affects children's respiratory, immune, and metabolic health but is also implicated in children's cognitive and behavioral development. Nicotine's chemical properties mimic naturally occurring chemicals in the brain. When nicotine is present during brain development (prenatally through the first five years of life), it alters developmental processes that affect systems involved in cognitive control, impulsivity, and sensitivity to rewarding substances, increasing risks for obesity. Because nicotine is the specific toxin underlying these outcomes, vaping is unlikely to be a safer alternative. Given the rise in vaping among young adults generally, and pregnant women specifically, this exposure represents a public health concern that warrants additional attention. Policies including modernized public health messaging and routine screening could reduce children's inadvertent exposure.

Association of smoking status and nicotine dependence with multi-morbidity in China: A nationally representative crosssectional study.

Multi-morbidity is a public health priority as it is associated with an increased risk of mortality and a substantial healthcare burden. Smoking is considered a predisposing factor for multi-morbidity, but evidence for an association between multi-morbidity and nicotine dependence is insufficient. This study aimed to explore the association between smoking status, nicotine dependence, and multi-morbidity in China. We recruited 11031 Chinese citizens from 31 provinces in 2021 using a multistage stratified cluster sampling strategy to ensure the study population represented national population characteristics. The association between smoking status and multi-morbidity was analyzed using binary logistic regression and multinomial logit regression models. We then analyzed the associations between four kinds of smoking status (age at smoking initiation, cigarette consumption per day, smoking when ill in bed, and inability to control smoking in public places), nicotine dependence, and multi-morbidity among participants who were current smokers. Compared with non-smokers, the odds of multi-morbidity were higher among ex-smokers (adjusted odd ratio, AOR=1.40, 95% CI: 1.07-1.85). The risk of multi-morbidity was greater in participants who were underweight/overweight/obese (AOR=1.90; 95% CI: 1.60-2.26) compared with those who were normal weight. and also greater for drinkers (AOR=1.34; 95% CI: 1.09-1.63) than non-drinkers. Compared with children who began smoking at the age of <15 years, participants aged >18 years had a lower likelihood of multi-morbidity (AOR=0.52; 95% CI: 0.32-0.83). People who consumed ≥31 cigarettes per day (AOR=3.77; 95% CI: 1.47-9.68) and those who smoked when ill in bed (AOR=1.70; 95% CI: 1.10-2.64) were more likely to have multi-morbidity. Our findings show that smoking behavior, including initiation age, frequency of daily smoking, and still smoking during illness or in public, is a critical risk factor for multi-morbidity, especially when combined with alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and abnormal weight (underweight, overweight, or obese). This highlights the crucial effect of smoking cessation in the prevention and control of multi-morbidity, especially in patients with three or more diseases. Implementing smoking and lifestyle interventions to promote health would both benefit adults and prevent the next generation from initiating habits that increase the risk of multi-morbidity.

An Intelligent Detection Approach for Smoking Behavior

Smoking in public places not only causes potential harm to the health of oneself and others, but also causes hidden dangers such as fires. Therefore, for health and safety considerations, a detection model is designed based on deep learning for places where smoking is prohibited, such as airports, gas stations, and chemical warehouses, that can quickly detect and warn smoking behavior. In the model, a convolutional neural network is used to process the input frames of the video stream which are captured by the camera. After image feature extraction, feature fusion, target classification and target positioning, the position of the cigarette butt is located, and smoking behavior is determined. Common target detection algorithms are not ideal for small target objects, and the detection speed needs to be improved. A series of designed convolutional neural network modules not only reduce the amount of model calculations, speed up the deduction, and meet real-time requirements, but also improve the detection accuracy of small target objects (cigarette butts).

Secondhand smoke, genetic susceptibility, and incident chronic kidney disease in never smokers: A prospective study of a selected population from the UK Biobank.

A large number of people around the world are exposed to the risks of passive smoking. This prospective study aimed to examine the association between secondhand smoke exposure, exposure time, and the incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and determine whether this association was influenced by genetic susceptibility. The study included 214244 participants of the UK Biobank who were initially free of CKD. Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the associations between secondhand smoke exposure time and the risks of CKD in people who have never smoked. The genetic risk score for CKD was calculated by a weighted method. The likelihood ratio test comparing models was used to examine the cross-product term between secondhand smoke exposure and genetic susceptibility to CKD outcomes. During a median of 11.9 years of follow-up, 6583 incidents of CKD were documented. Secondhand smoke exposure increased the risk of CKD (HR=1.09; 95% CI: 1.03-1.16, p<0.01), and a dose-response relationship between CKD prevalence and secondhand smoke exposure time was found (p for trend<0.01). Secondhand smoke exposure increases the risk of CKD even in people who never smoke and have a low genetic risk (HR=1.13; 95% CI: 1.02-1.26, p=0.02). There was no statistically significant interaction between secondhand smoke exposure and genetic susceptibility to CKD (p for interaction=0.80). Secondhand smoke exposure is associated with higher risk of CKD, even in people with low genetic risk, and the relationship is dose dependent. These findings change the belief that people with low genetic susceptibility and without direct participation in smoking activities are not prone to CKD, emphasizing the need to avoid the harm of secondhand smoke in public places.

Prevalence and risk factors of chronic respiratory symptoms in public and private school teachers in north-western Ethiopia: results from a multicentre cross-sectional study

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of chronic respiratory symptoms among school teachers in Gondar city, north-western Ethiopia.DesignA school-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to...

The prevalence and determinant factors of substance use among the youth in Ethiopia: A multilevel analysis of Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey.

In Ethiopia, the youth are more exposed to substances such as alcohol, Khat, and tobacco than other populations. Despite the seriousness of the situation, low- and middle-income nations, particularly Ethiopia, have intervention gaps. Service providers must be made more aware of relevant evidence to combat these problems. This research focused on finding out how common substance abuse is among teenagers and the factors that influence it. The 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey data were used for secondary data analysis. This survey includes all young people aged 15 to 24 years. The total sample size was 10,594 people. Due to the hierarchical nature of the survey data, a multilevel logistic regression model was employed to uncover the individual- and community-level characteristics related to substances. In Ethiopia, the overall current prevalence of occasional or daily substance use 30 days prior to the survey was 46.74%. Of the participants, 36.34, 12.56, and 0.95% were drinking alcohol, chewing Khat, and smoking cigarettes/any tobacco products, respectively. Male sex, 20-24 years of age, exposure to media, having a job, and living in large central and metropolitan regions were the factors associated with the problem. According to the 2016 EDHS, substance use among young people is widespread in Ethiopia. To lower the prevalence of substance use among youth, policymakers must increase the implementation of official rules, such as restricting alcohol, Khat, and tobacco product marketing to minors, prohibiting smoking in public places, and banning mass-media alcohol advertising. Specific interventions targeting at-risk populations, such as youth, are mainly required in prominent central and metropolitan locations.

Multiple streams approach to tobacco control policymaking in the capital city of the world's largest tobacco consuming country.

The aim of this study was to analyse the policymaking process of Beijing tobacco control regulations based on a multiple streams framework to provide a reference for other cities, at the national level and for the international community to promote the development of tobacco control policy. Twenty-one documents related to tobacco control in Beijing were collected, nine informants were interviewed and the interview data were analysed by a thematic framework method. It was found that indicators, feedback and a focus event in the problem stream drew the attention of policymakers and the society for tobacco control. In 2011, Ying Songnian, a representative of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress, put forward tobacco control legislation, which was just in time for the legislative reform of the Congress. The proposal was studied by the Congress, and a strategy of 'social co-governance' was founded. In the political stream, the government actively promoted tobacco control and social organizations extensively participated in it. In 2013, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the General Office of the State Council issued a notice on matters related to leading cadres taking the lead in banning smoking in public places, which opened a policy window for decision-makers who were hesitatant. The issue of tobacco control was successfully put on the policy agenda and contributed to the introduction of the Beijing Municipal Regulations on Smoking Control. Development of the factors in problem stream, policy stream and political stream promoted the setting up of the tobacco control policy agenda in Beijing. It is suggested that more cities should learn from the experience of Beijing, seize the opportunity of the ideological change of the ruling party, actively identify the problems, mobilize and advocate for representatives and introduce the concept of 'social co-governance' to promote tobacco control legislation.

Socio-demographic Patterns, BehaviouralPatterns, and Predominant Causes of Smoking Tobacco among Construction Workers:

The socio-demographic patterns, behavioural patterns, and predominant causes of smoking tobacco among construction workers were explored using data from Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh construction sites. A mixed questionnaire based on the basic socio-demographic and behavioural patterns such as sex, age, education, marital status, average monthly income, family size etc. and predominant causes of smoking such as addiction/habit, peer pressure, personal/family/occupational stress relief etc. was prepared and presented to the consenting study respondents (n=110) at Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The patterns and causes were selected based on the previous literature review. Also, a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) was conducted with 11 consenting participants. The resultant data was then analysed using the OpenEpi v3.01 software (CDC, USA).Chi-square tests and logistic regression analysis (OR and 95% CI)were conducted using the software. Preliminary analysis revealed that the overall smoking prevalence in the study sample was 63.63% (n = 70).The two most significant causes of smoking in the study sample were an addiction to smoking (44.29%) and peer pressure (24.29%). Through a review of the findings of this study, it can be ascertained thatthere is a high prevalence of smoking among the construction workers of Savar, Dhaka, and behavioural patterns of smoking are associated with critical socio-demographic factors. Findings suggest the need for control on the easy availability oftobacco and intervention policies such as a ban on tobacco smoking in public places, especially construction sites, imposing of high tax and surcharge on tobacco products etc., aimed at reducing tobacco use among the construction workers of Savar, Dhaka.&#x0D; Keywords: Savar, tobacco, smoking, patterns, causes, construction workers.