The impact of workplace smoking ordinances in California on smoking cessation.
OBJECTIVE
The effect of local workplace smoking laws in California was assessed to determine whether such laws increase smoking cessation.


METHODS
Workplace smoking ordinance data from 1990 were appended to 1990 California Tobacco Survey data from 4680 adult indoor workers who were current cigarette smokers or reported smoking in the 6 months before the survey. Ordinance effects on cigarette smoking and worksite policy were estimated by using multiple logistic regression controlling for sociodemographic variables.


RESULTS
Smokers who worked in localities with a strong workplace ordinance (compared with no workplace ordinance) were more likely to report the existence of a worksite smoking policy (odds ratio [OR] = 1.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2, 2.2) and to report quitting smoking in the prior 6 months (OR = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.1, 1.7). In communities with strong ordinances, an estimated 26.4% of smokers quit smoking within 6 months of the survey and were abstinent at the time of the survey, compared with an estimated 19.1% in communities with no ordinance.


CONCLUSIONS
Workplace smoking ordinances increased smoking cessation among employed smokers, indicating that these laws may benefit smokers as well as nonsmokers.
Moskowitz
J M
JM
Center for Family and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley 94720-7360, USA. jmm@uclink4.berkeley.edu
Lin
Z
Z
Hudes
E S
ES
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016134:Organizational Policy; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*