title: Total indoor smoking ban and smoker behavior.
abstract: METHODS
  To assess smoking policy support and effects, 1,083 hospital employees (203 smokers) were surveyed by anonymous questionnaire 1 year after the announcement (5 months after implementation) of a new total indoor smoking ban. A second follow-up, limited to smoker respondents only, was conducted 2 years postannouncement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total indoor smoking ban was supported by the vast majority of nonsmokers (89%) and ex-smokers (86%) and by nearly half of the then-smoking population (45%). Consistent with previous reports, the smoking ban was associated with a significant decrease in cigarette use during work hours, particularly among moderate to heavy smokers. However, the ban did not result in increased institutional quit rates. Light smokers (< 10 cig/day), compared with heavy smokers (> or = 30 cig/day), were more likely to support the no-smoking policy and had fewer problems observing the ban. They were also less apt to report a decrease in work productivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A total indoor smoking ban had little effect on overall institutional quit rates. Heavy smokers will, predictably, experience the greatest difficulty complying with a total indoor nonsmoking policy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68198-2465.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Daughton
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Orona
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Rennard
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000517:prevention & control; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D009329:Nebraska; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution