SmokeFree workplaces do not lead to increased exposure in the home

March 8, 2005 - RESEARCH

There is no evidence to support claims that the smokefree law in Ireland has resulted in greater exposure to second hand smoke in the home.

In fact, international evidence suggestes that smokefree laws result in less exposure in the home because:

* Smokefree laws encourage smokers to quit(i). When fewer adults smoke, children's exposure to second hand smoke is reduced(ii)

* In Australia, the proportion of family homes with smoking restrictions more than doubled after smokefree workplaces were introduced from 25% to 59%. In households where one adult smoked, the proportion with smoking restrictions rose from 17% to 53%; among those where all adultssmoked, it increased from 2% to 32% (iii)

* In California, the proportion of children and adolescents living in smokefree homes increased from 38% in 1992, to 82.2% in 1999(iv)

* Data from Australia shows that current and former smokers who work in smokefree environments are more likely to have smokefree homes(v)

(i) Fichtenberg CM and Glantz SA (2002) Effect of smoke-free workplaces on smoking behaviour: systematic review. British Medical Journal 325: 188.

(ii) Jarvis MJ, Goddard E, Higgins V, Feyerabent C, Bryant A & Cook DG (2000) Children's exposure to passive smoking in England since 1980's: continine evidence from population survey. BMJ 321: 343-5.

(iii) Borland R, Mullins R, Trotter L, et al. Trends in environmental tobacco smoke restrictions in the home in Victoria, Australia. Tobacco Control 1999;8: 266-71.

(iv) Gilpin EA, Farkas AJ, Emery SL, Ake CF, Pierce JP. (2002) Clean indoor air: advances in California, 1990-1999. American Journal of Public Health. 92 (5): 785-91.

(v) Meron D, Rissel C (2001) Factors associated with smokefree homes in NSW: results from the 1998 NSW Health Survey. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health. 25 (4): 339-45