Evaluation of revised smoke-free legislation on environmental tobacco smoke exposure and smoking status of administrative personel of an university

In Turkey, previous smoke-free legislation was revised in January 2008 to prohibit smoking in virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces and enforced in June 2008. The aim of this study  was to measure change in administrative personnel’s of an university exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and  the number of smoking cigarettes in workplaces after the revised smoke-free legislation.

This cross-sectional study was conducted in July and August 2008. The subjects were consisted of 168 administrative personnel of an university and interviewed by face to face. Outcome measures were self reported duration of exposure to ETS/day in workplaces, number of smoking cigarettes/day in workplaces and in homes, and self reported smoking restriction in homes and in cars.

The prevalence rates of smoking were  49.4% in women and 50.6% in men. The reported duration of exposure to ETS in workplaces was 3.36±0.44(mean±SE) hours/day  before the revised legislation and 1.81±0.70(mean±SE) hours/day after the revised legislation (p<0.003). Reduction in the number of smoking cigarettes 8.41±0.63(mean±SE)  in workplaces was associated with a reduction after the revised legislation in reported the number of smoking cigarettes 7.81±0.69(mean±SE)  in workplaces but not in homes (p=0.021 vs. p=0.042). Smoking rate in car  did not show change before and after the revised legislation (29.6 and 24.5% respectively, Mc Nemar’s p=0.50). Smoking near children increased slightly after the revised legislation (from 6.8 to 9.6%, Mc Nemar’s p=1.0).  

After implementation of the revised legislation, exposure to ETS was reduced in  workplaces but not in the home or cars. The main beneficiaries of the legislation seem to be non-smoker administrative officers.