Effectiveness of a smoke-free policy in lowering secondhand smoke concentrations in offices in China.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure level in Chinese office buildings and to evaluate the effectiveness of a smoke-free policy in reducing SHS exposure.


METHODS
Survey of smoking policies and measurement of SHS level in 14 office buildings from 10 provinces in China.


RESULTS
Smoking in the building significantly elevated the SHS concentrations both in offices with at least one smoker and in offices with no smokers. In one building that recently adopted a smoke-free policy, the nicotine concentrations decreased significantly after the policy was enacted. Enactment of a smoking policy was effective in reducing SHS exposure in the buildings.


CONCLUSIONS
Nonsmoking office workers in China were exposed to significant levels of SHS at work; both the central and local governments should realize the need to legislate against workplace smoking.
Gan
Quan
Q
School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California 94143-1390, USA. quan.gan@ucsf.edu
Hammond
S Katharine
SK
Jiang
Yuan
Y
Yang
Yan
Y
Hu
Teh-Wei
TW
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D002681:China; D006076:Government; D006291:Health Policy; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D009538:Nicotine / Q000032:analysis*; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D017132:Workplace
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D009538:Nicotine