[Perception over smoke-free policies amongst bar and restaurant representatives in central Mexico].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the perceptions and appreciations over smoke-free environments of restaurant and bar managers from four cities in central Mexico.


METHODS
Managers from 219 restaurants and bars from Mexico City, Colima, Cuernavaca and Toluca were surveyed about smoke-free environments opinions and implementation. Simultaneously, environmental nicotine was monitored.


RESULTS
The majority of surveyed managers considered public places should be smoke-free, although more than half were concerned with potential economic loses. Implementation of smoke-free environments was more frequent in Mexico City (85.4%) than in the other cities (15.3% overall), with consequently lower environmental nicotine concentrations.


CONCLUSIONS
Managers acknowledge the need to create smoke-free environments. Concerns over economic negative effects derived from the prohibition could explain, at least partially, the rejection of this sector towards the implementation of this type of policy.
Centro de Investigación en Salud Poblacional, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México. tbarrientos@correo.insp.mx
Tonatiuh
T
Barrientos-Gutiérrez
David
D
Gimeno
James F
JF
Thrasher
Luz Myriam
LM
Reynales-Shigematsu
Benjamin C
BC
Amick
Eduardo
E
Lazcano-Ponce
Mauricio
M
Hernández-Ávila
D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D012147:Restaurants; D000074606:Smoking Prevention