Smokefree outdoor areas without the smoke-police: the New Zealand local authority experience.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate (i) the extent, nature and effectiveness of smokefree outdoor area (SFOA) policies in New Zealand, (ii) incentives and motivations for, and barriers to creating these SFOA.


METHODS
Literature and media searches were conducted for relevant material to February 2009. Nine in-depth interviews were conducted in October 2008, with key informants from local government, health and related research areas.


RESULTS
Twenty-three of 73 local authorities have 'educative' (non-enforceable) SFOA policies for at least one playground. There has been an increasing trend of SFOA policy adoption since the first 'educative' policy in 2005. Motivations for policy adoption include child well-being, community leadership, and environmental and fire concerns. Barriers have included arguments about 'freedoms', over-regulation, park attendance, enforcement, media comment, and some local authority lack of focus on health. There appears to be increasing support nationally for at least SFOA for children's areas, including 66% support from smokers for smokefree playgrounds. There is some evidence of SFOA policy effectiveness, but considerable need for further evaluation of the policies.


CONCLUSIONS
Councils have moved to create SFOA, in the absence of substantial central government efforts. It is likely that the adoption of SFOA will continue, and there is potential for an expansion of the policies to wider settings.
Department of Public Health, University of Otago Wellington, PO Box 7343 Wellington South, New Zealand.
Brent
B
Hyslop
George
G
Thomson
D001294:Attitude to Health; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D009111:Local Government; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D016495:Police; D011639:Public Opinion; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000517:prevention & control
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution