INTRODUCTIONA local study completed in Singapore, which was part of an international multi-country study that aims to develop a global assessment of exposure to second-hand smoke in indoor workplaces, gathered data regarding the indoor air quality of public areas. It was hypothesised that air would be less polluted in non-smoking venues compared to places where smoking occurred.

MATERIALS AND METHODSA TSI SidePak AM510 Personal Aerosol Monitor was used to sample and record the levels of respirable suspended particles (RSP) in the air. A broad range of venues were sampled in Singapore. The primary goal of data analysis was to assess the difference in the average levels of RSP in smoke-free and non smoke-free venues. Data was assessed at 3 levels: (a) the mean RSP across all venues sampled compared with the mean levels of smoke-free and non smoke-free venues, (b) levels in venues where smoking occurred compared with similar venues in Ireland, and (c) comparison between smoke-free and non smoke-free areas according to the type of venue. Statistical significance was assessed using the Mann-Whitney U-test.

RESULTSThe level of indoor air pollution was 96% lower in smoke-free venues compared to non smoke-free venues. Averaged across each type of venue, the lowest levels of indoor air pollution were found in restaurants (17 microg/m3) and the highest in bars (622 microg/m3); both well above the US EPA Air Quality Index hazardous level of >or=251 ug/m3.

CONCLUSIONSThis study demonstrates that workers and patrons are exposed to harmful levels of a known carcinogen and toxin. Policies that prohibit smoking in public areas dramatically reduce exposure and improve worker and patron health.

Air Pollution, Indoor ; analysis ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Environmental Monitoring ; Ireland ; Restaurants ; Singapore ; Smoking ; Workplace

OBJECTIVETo investigate the current smoking regulations and their impacts on the environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) levels inside restaurants and bars in Beijing.

METHODSTelephone survey was used to investigate the smoking regulations. TSI Sidepak AM510 was used to measure the level of fine particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) in restaurants and bars. Analysis of variance and non-parametric rank tests were used to examine the association between indoor and outdoor PM2.5 levels and (1) smoking regulations; and (2) types of restaurants and bars.

RESULTSOf the 305 restaurants and bars surveyed, 27.9% had complete or partial smoking prohibiting rules. The average indoor PM2.5, level of the 92 restaurants and bars was 253.08 microg/m3 , 102.37% higher than the outdoor level. The average indoor and outdoor PM2.5 levels in the restaurants and bars with smoking ban regulations were 93.10 microg/m3 and 110.33 microg/m3 whole 289.34 microg/m3 and 128.40 microg/m3 in those without, respectively. The average indoor and outdoor PM2.5 levels of bars were 413.46 microg/m3 and 190.62 microg/m3, respectively, while in the western fast-food restaurants, they were 83.86 microg/m3 and 104.77 microg/m3, respectively. The outdoor PM2.5 levels were higher than the indoor levels in different classes of restaurants and bars. Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between PM2.5 levels and the number of smokers per cube meters (r = 0.47, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSmoking regulations could effectively reduce the ETS level in restaurants and bars.

Air Pollution, Indoor ; analysis ; legislation & jurisprudence ; China ; Environmental Monitoring ; Particulate Matter ; analysis ; Restaurants ; Smoking ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution ; analysis ; legislation & jurisprudence

Objective To understand the knowledge and attitudes towards second hand smoking(SHS) among restaurant or bar patronage in five cities in China. Methods 405 restaurants and bars were conveniently selected in 5 cities as Beijing, Wuhan, Xi'an, Kunming and Guiyang. From each of these hospitality venues, at least 3 patrons, including one smoker, one female non-smoker and one male nonsmoker were asked to answer a questionnaire on their knowledge and attitudes towards SHS and smoking policies in public places. Results 43.1% of the respondents had good knowledge on SHS hazards. 65%reported that those who smoked around them had never asked for their permission, and about 60%admitted that they had never asked others to stop smoking in front of them. There were almost two thirds of patrons reporting that they once felt discomfort of SHS in restaurants or bars, nearly half of whom chose free restaurants and bars' initiations were only 30.0% and 19.8%, respectively. In Beijing, logistic regression model analyses showed that those who supporting 100 % smoke-free restaurants and bars tended to be non-smokers, aged 25 years or older and to have had at least college education. Also in Beijing, those being female, having at least college education or non-smokers were more likely to choose restaurants and bars with smoking restrictions. Conclusion Though knowledge on SHS hospitality patronage was still not high or popular for the public to refuse SHS exposure, banning smoking in hospitality venues was public's inclination and would become a trend in public health endeavor.