Observational survey of smoking provisions in food service establishments--Southeast Health District, Georgia, 2001.
In the United States, approximately 38,000 deaths are attributable to second hand smoke (SHS) exposure each year. One of the national health objectives for 2010 is to reduce public exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) (objective 27.10). To reduce public exposure to ETS, CDC recommends smoking bans and restrictions in public places. Some of the highest reported exposures to concentrations of SHS are found in food service establishments; however, Georgia does not have a state law prohibiting smoking in these places. In March 2001, the director of Georgia's Southeast Health District requested assistance from the state health department in developing a surveillance system of smoking provisions in food service establishments. This report summarizes an observational survey of smoking provisions in food service establishments of Georgia's Southeast Health District in 2001, which found that although 69.4% (506) of all surveyed establishments were completely smoke free, the remaining establishments failed to provide several physical modifications designed to minimize ETS exposure. Public health officials in the Southeast Health District will use survey results to target interventions toward establishments lacking ETS-minimizing provisions.
D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D012147:Restaurants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution