Tobacco control policies in outdoor areas of high volume American transit systems.
Very little is known about how smoking and other tobacco use is regulated in outdoor and semi-enclosed spaces across transit systems. The purpose of this study was to understand how American transit systems are regulating cigarettes and other tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco and e-cigarettes, in outdoor or quasi-outdoor spaces. Within four regions of the United States, a purposive convenience sample was taken of the top five volume American transit systems (n = 20) based on annual ridership. Each transit authority website was systematically reviewed to produce a cross-sectional study of the published policies regarding tobacco product use for indoor, outdoor, and quasi-outdoor spaces of transit property; rules regarding cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and electronic cigarettes were identified. Policies regulating tobacco use were enacted by transit systems and/or the cities and states in which transit systems are located. The majority (80%) of transit systems banned smoking in outdoor areas; few prohibited smokeless tobacco use (15%, n = 3) and some disallowed e-cigarettes (30%, n = 6). Violation consequences ranged widely from none to verbal warnings, ejection from transit property, fines, and imprisonment. Regulating smoking in outdoor or quasi-outdoor environments is common in American transit environments. These policies can help protect vulnerable populations from exposure to secondhand smoke and communicate a tobacco-free norm.
Division of Health Behavior and Health Promotion, Ohio State University College of Public Health, 1841 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA, eklein@cph.osu.edu.
Elizabeth G
EG
Klein
Ryan David
RD
Kennedy
Micah
M
Berman
D066300:Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D011633:Public Facilities / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D061845:Smoke-Free Policy / Q000639:trends*; D066262:Social Norms; D062789:Tobacco Products / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*; D064424:Tobacco Use / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014186:Transportation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution