The effect of Sao Paulo's smoke-free legislation on carbon monoxide concentration in hospitality venues and their workers.
BACKGROUND
Studies have shown that there is no safe level of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure and there is a close link between SHS and the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. Carbon monoxide (CO) is one of the most important components present in SHS.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of the smoking ban law in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, on the CO concentration in restaurants, bars, night clubs and similar venues and in their workers.


METHODS
In the present study we measured CO concentration in 585 hospitality venues. CO concentration was measured in different environments (indoor, semi-open and open areas) from visited venues, as well as, in the exhaled air from approximately 627 workers of such venues. Measurements were performed twice, before and 12&emsp14;weeks after the law implementation. In addition, the quality of the air in the city during the same period of our study was verified. RESULTS The CO concentration pre-ban and pot-ban in hospitality venues was indoor area 4.57 (3.70) ppm vs 1.35 (1.66) ppm (p<0.0001); semi-open 3.79 (2.49) ppm vs 1.16 (1.14) ppm (p<0.0001); open area 3.31(2.2) ppm vs 1.31 (1.39) ppm (p<0.0001); smoking employees 15.78 (9.76) ppm vs 11.50 (7.53) ppm (p<0.0001) and non-smoking employees 6.88 (5.32) ppm vs 3.50 (2.21) ppm (p<0.0001). The average CO concentration measured in the city was lower than 1 ppm during both pre-ban and post-ban periods.


CONCLUSIONS
São Paulo's smoking-free legislation reduced significantly the CO concentration in hospitality venues and in their workers, whether they smoke or not.
Heart Institute, Medicine Faculty, University of São Paulo, Rua Dr Eneas de Carvalho Aguiar 44, São Paulo, Brazil. jaqueline@incor.usp.br
Jaqueline S
JS
Issa
Tania M O
TM
Abe
Alexandre C
AC
Pereira
Maria Cristina
MC
Megid
Cristina E
CE
Shimabukuro
Luis Sergio O
LS
Valentin
Marizete M da C
MM
Ferreira
Moacyr R C
MR
Nobre
Ines
I
Lancarotte
Antonio Carlos Pereira
AC
Barretto
D000328:Adult; D001822:Body Burden; D001938:Brazil; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012147:Restaurants / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012907:Smoking / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D017132:Workplace / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D055815:Young Adult
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D002248:Carbon Monoxide