RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Relationship of worksite smoking policy to changes in employee tobacco use: findings from COMMIT. Community Intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation.
JF Tobacco Control
JO Tob Control
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP S44
DO 10.1136/tc.6.suppl_2.S44
VO 6
IS suppl 2
A1 R E Glasgow
A1 K M Cummings
A1 A Hyland
YR 1997
UL http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/6/suppl_2/S44.abstract
AB OBJECTIVE: To report data on the impact of worksite smoking policies on employee smoking behaviour from a large and heterogeneous sample of smokers and worksites in 22 different communities across North America participating in the COMMIT trial. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: Data from a population-based survey of 8271 employed adult smokers who completed surveys in 1988 and 1993. Surveys included questions on tobacco use behaviours, personal/demographic characteristics, and smoking policy and cessation resources at the workplace. RESULTS: After controlling for potential confounding factors, regression analyses revealed that employees who worked in a smoke-free worksite were over 25% more likely to make a serious quit attempt between 1988 and 1993, and over 25% more likely to achieve cessation than those who worked in a worksite that permitted smoking. Among continuing smokers, employees in smoke-free worksites consumed an average of 2 3/4 fewer cigarettes per day compared with those who worked in places with a non-restrictive smoking policy. A smoke-free worksite policy was not associated with a greater likelihood of using smokeless tobacco. CONCLUSION: These data, from one of the largest and longest smoking cessation studies to date, add support to the conclusion that smoke-free worksite policies help employees to reduce or discontinue use of tobacco.