The effect of a smoke-free law on restaurant business in South Australia.
BACKGROUND
Despite evidence to the contrary from overseas research, the introduction of smoke-free legislation in South Australia (SA), which required all restaurants to go smoke-free in January 1999, sparked concerns among the hospitality industry about loss of restaurant business. This study aimed to determine whether the law had a detrimental impact on restaurant business in SA.


METHODS
Using time series analysis, we compared the ratio of monthly restaurant turnover from restaurants and cafés in SA to (a) total retail tumover in SA (minus restaurants) for the years 1991 to 2001 and (b) Australian restaurant tumover (minus SA, Westem Australia and the Australian Capital Territory) for the years 1991-2000.


RESULTS
There was no decline in the ratio of (a) SA restaurant turnover to SA retail turnover or (b) SA restaurant tumover to Australian restaurant turnover.


CONCLUSIONS
The introduction of a smoke-free law applying to restaurants in SA did not adversely affect restaurant business in SA.
Wakefield
Melanie
M
Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Control Research Institute, The Cancer Council Victoria, Carlton. melanie.wakefield@cancervic.org.au
Siahpush
Mohammad
M
Scollo
Michelle
M
Lal
Anita
A
Hyland
Andrew
A
McCaul
Kieran
K
Miller
Caroline
C
D003132:Commerce / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D012147:Restaurants / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012907:Smoking / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012926:Social Control, Formal; D013021:South Australia