The European Journal of Public Health Advance Access originally published online on January 16, 2009
The European Journal of Public Health 2009 19(2):198-205; doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckn141
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Smoking |
The impact of smokefree legislation in Scotland: results from the Scottish ITC Scotland/UK longitudinal surveys
Andrew Hyland1, Louise M. Hassan2, Cheryl Higbee1, Christian Boudreau3, Geoffrey T. Fong4, Ron Borland5, K. Michael Cummings1, Mi Yan6, Mary E. Thompson3 and Gerard Hastings7
1 Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Department of Health Behavior, Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
2 School of Management, The Gateway, North Haugh, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9SS, Scotland, UK
3 Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada
4 Department of Psychology, 200 University Avenue West, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada
5 Cancer Control Research Institute, The Cancer Council Victoria, 100 Drummond Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia
6 Population Health Research Group, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada
7 Institute for Social Marketing and the Center for Tobacco Control Research, University of Stirling and the Open University, Stirling, FK9 4LA, Scotland, UK
Correspondence: Andrew Hyland, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA, tel: +1 716 845 8391, fax: +1 716 845 1265, e-mail: andrew.hyland{at}roswellpark.org
Received August 21, 2008 , accepted December 19, 2008
Background: To evaluate how Scotland's smokefree law impacted self-reported secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in hospitality venues, workplaces and in people's homes. In addition, we examine changes in support for the law, pub and restaurant patronage, smoking cessation indicators and whether any observed changes varied by socioeconomic status. Methods: A quasi-experimental longitudinal telephone survey of nationally representative samples of smokers and non-smokers interviewed before the Scottish law (February to March 2006) and 1 year later after the law (March 2007) in Scotland (n = 705 smokers and n = 417 non-smokers) and the rest of the UK (n = 1027 smokers and n = 447 non-smokers) where smoking in public places was not regulated at the time. Results: Dramatic declines in the observance of smoking in pubs, restaurants and workplaces were found in Scotland relative to the rest of the UK. The change in the percent of smokers reporting a smokefree home and number of cigarettes smoked inside the home in the evening was comparable in Scotland and the rest of the UK. Support for smokefree policies increased to a greater extent in Scotland than in the rest of the UK. Self-reported frequency of going to pubs and restaurants was generally comparable between Scotland and the rest of the UK; however, non-smokers in Scotland were more likely to frequent pubs more often. No differences in smoking cessation indicators were observed between countries. Conclusion: The Scottish smokefree law has been successful in decreasing secondhand smoke exposure while causing none of the hypothesized negative outcomes.
Keywords: Scotland, smokefree, international tobacco control
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