title: Assessing knowledge and attitudes of owners or managers of hospitality venues regarding a policy banning indoor smoking.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In response to accumulating evidence on the detrimental health effects of second-hand smoke, governments throughout the world have adopted laws prohibiting indoor smoking in public places. Lebanon has recently enacted a law prohibiting indoor smoking in all of its forms, rendered effective as of 3 September 2012. This study examined the knowledge and attitudes of owners/managers of restaurants, cafes, pubs and nightclubs in Beirut towards the ban, three months before it came into effect.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-administered cross-sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were derived from a self-administered cross-sectional survey conducted in June 2012. In total, 262 hospitality venues (restaurants, cafes, pubs and nightclubs) were sampled at random to participate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 74% (194/262). Overall, 84% of owners/managers reported that they were aware of the ban, yet the average knowledge score was only 3.43/10. A general positive attitude was noted towards customer satisfaction (44.8%), law enforcement (61.1%) and employee protection from second-hand smoke (74%), while 55% of owners/managers were concerned that their revenues would decrease. However, 83.3% expressed their willingness to implement the law.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This quantitative study is the first to examine the knowledge and attitudes of owners/managers of hospitality venues regarding the indoor smoking ban in Lebanon. Civil society and government bodies should use the findings to develop a campaign to address the knowledge and attitudes of owners/managers of hospitality venues to ensure successful enforcement.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alaaeddine
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Al Kuhaimi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Al Assaad
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dany
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Diab
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hirmas
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mahmassani
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sleiman Tellawi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nakkash
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon; D008297:Male; D011640:Public Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012147:Restaurants / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012907:Smoking / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution