Analysis of responses of Long Beach, California residents to the Smoke-free Bars Law

Summary

Objectives

We investigated survey responses to the Smoke-free Bars Law by residents of Long Beach, California (population 460 000), a city that reflects the state's diverse population. The research specifically aimed to determine: (1) residents' approval for the 1998 California Smoke-free Bars Law when it was implemented; and (2) changes in approval between baseline and 2-year follow-up. Data were also assessed for the demographic characteristics of the respondents and whether the respondents were self-acknowledged smokers or non-smokers.

Study design

A random telephone survey was conducted in 1998 and 2000 in Long Beach to determine the degree of community support for the 1998 state law that prohibited smoking in all workplaces including alcohol-serving establishments. The numbers analysed were 784 in 1998 and 1237 in 2000.

Methods

Statistical analyses used in this research included univariate frequency distributions and logistic regression for 1998 and 2000.

Results

The major findings were as follows. Overall community approval for the 1998 state law increased from 65.2% in 1998 to 72.6% in 2000. Over this period, the rate of approval by smokers increased from 20.6% to 37.1%, and the rate of approval by non-smokers increased from 74.5% to 80.3%.

Conclusions

The general public in a large city in California strongly approve of the prohibition of smoking in all indoor public places. This strong endorsement has major public health implications.

Introduction

In California, Assembly Bill 13 (AB 13) was adopted in 1994 to protect most categories of workers in indoor spaces from the potentially harmful effects of cigarette smoke. In 1998, that law was extended to mandate smoke-free protection to workers in all alcohol-serving establishments. It became known subsequently as the ‘Smoke-free Bars Law’. Even before implementation of the Smoke-free Bars Law, there were concerns about a possible detrimental impact of such legislation on bars and restaurants by limiting the patronage of people who smoke.1, 2 However, an analysis of data from the California State Board of Equalization and from a Colorado survey revealed that smoke-free restaurant policies do not have an adverse effect on sales in these businesses.3, 4 In fact, a Massachusetts study found that smoke-free policies tended to increase patronage among non-smokers who often did not frequent bars because of the cigarette smoke.⁵

Since the mid-1990 s, surveys have pointed to an increasingly positive endorsement for laws that mandate smoke-free bars and restaurants. For example, the Massachusetts Department of Health found that between 1992 and 1999, the rate of public support for smoke-free restaurants increased from 37% to approximately 60%. Of note is the fact that the increases in this support occurred for both smokers and non-smokers.⁶

It should also be noted that research indicates that smoke-free workplace policies in general, and smoke-free bar policies in particular, have positive health consequences for workers. Evidence suggests that adoption of workplace smoking ordinances tends to increase smoking cessation among workers who smoke, extending the benefits of restricting workplace smoking to smokers as well as non-smokers.⁷ In addition, a clinical study of San Francisco bartenders reported that their respiratory health improved rapidly after the adoption of the California Smoke-free Bars Law.⁸

Long Beach, California is a city with 460 000 residents. It was independently active in smoking restrictions before the state actions. In 1991, the Long Beach Smoking Ordinance was passed, prohibiting smoking in all workplaces. In 1993, the restrictions were extended to restaurants, but only partially to bars. In 1994, this ordinance was passed as Proposition K by 68% of the voters. The 1998 state law superseded the city law and restricted smoking in all bar areas.

The present study investigated survey responses to the Smoke-free Bars Law by residents of Long Beach. The research specifically aimed to determine: (1) residents’ approval for the 1998 California Smoke-free Bars Law when it was implemented; and (2) changes in approval between baseline and 2-year follow-up. Although one study has examined the attitudes of bar patrons towards the Smoke-free Bars Law,² there have been few studies of the general population's approval or disapproval of the law.