title: Measuring Secondhand Smoke in Muscat, Oman.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to measure exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) and assess venue compliance with the municipal Law against smoking indoors in public places in Muscat, Oman.
  
  
  METHODS
  Following the selection of 30 public indoor venues within the Muscat governorate, the concentration of suspended SHS particulate matter (PM2.5) in the venues' indoor air was measured throughout July and August 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Almost all of the venues were found to be compliant with the smoke-free municipal, with the exception of a café that served waterpipes for smoking indoors. The concentration of PM2.5 in this venue showed an average level of 256 µg/m(3) which was 64 times the level of that found in the non-smoking venues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aside from one café, the majority of the assessed indoor public venues abided by the smoke-free municipal law. However, the enforcement of policies banning smoking in indoor public recreational venues should be re-examined in order to protect member of the public in Oman from exposure to SHS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Non-Communicable Disease Control, Directorate General of Health Affairs, Ministry of Health, Muscat, Oman;
authors.forename: Jawad A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Al-Lawati
authors.affiliation: Tobacco Control Section.
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Al-Thuhli
authors.affiliation: Tobacco Free Initiative, Eastern Mediterranean Office of the World Health Organization, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Farrukh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Qureshi
keywords: Oman; Particulate Matter; Secondhand Smoke; Tobacco Products