PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Melanie S Pickett
AU  - Susan E Schober
AU  - Debra J Brody
AU  - Lester R Curtin
AU  - Gary A Giovino
TI  - Smoke-free laws and secondhand smoke exposure in US non-smoking adults, 1999–2002
AID  - 10.1136/tc.2005.015073
DP  - 2006 Aug 01
TA  - Tobacco Control
PG  - 302--307
VI  - 15
IP  - 4
4099  - http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/15/4/302.short
4100  - http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/15/4/302.full
SO  - Tob Control2006 Aug 01; 15
AB  - Objectives: To investigate the relationship between smoke-free law coverage and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in the United States non-smoking adult population. Design: We used data from the 1999–2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a cross-sectional survey designed to monitor the health and nutritional status of the US population. Serum cotinine levels were available for 5866 non-smoking adults from 57 survey locations. Each location was categorised into one of three groups indicating extensive, limited, and no coverage by a smoke-free law. Main outcome measures: The proportion of adults with SHS exposure, defined as having serum cotinine levels ⩾ 0.05 ng/ml. Results: Among non-smoking adults living in counties with extensive smoke-free law coverage, 12.5% were exposed to SHS, compared with 35.1% with limited coverage, and 45.9% with no law. Adjusting for confounders, men and women residing in counties with extensive coverage had 0.10 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.06 to 0.16) and 0.19 (95% CI 0.11 to 0.34) times the odds of SHS exposure compared to those residing in counties without a smoke-free law. Conclusions: These results support the scientific evidence suggesting that smoke-free laws are an effective strategy for reducing SHS exposure.