title: Complying with the smoking ban by students before and after introducing legislative intervention.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  More and more countries introduce a total ban on smoking tobacco in public places. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effectiveness of "The Act of 8 April 2010 on amendment of the act on protection of health against the consequences of consumption of tobacco and tobacco products and act on National Sanitary Inspectorate" and assess the frequency of complying with the smoking bans by the students of the Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2007-2011, at the Social Medicine Institute of the Medical University of Lodz, a study using random survey was carried out involving students who were starting their studies at the Health Department of the Medical University of Lodz. The analysis of the collected material showed that 1038 people reported being smokers at the time of the study. Among that group, 530 students were included in the study prior to, and 508 after the introduction of the amendment. In order to verify their compliance with the smoking ban, the respondents were asked whether they smoked only in designated areas or wherever they wanted to.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ratio of people claiming they smoked anywhere they wanted to, disregarding the smoking ban, was 60% (N = 318) and after the amendment had been introduced, this ratio was 62.2% (N = 316), it increased by 2.2 percentage points. The observed difference was statistically irrelevant (Chi2= 0.530, p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Act "On amendment of the act on protection of health against the consequences of consumption of tobacco and tobacco products and Act on National Sanitary Inspectorate" in Poland did not result in the expected changes in the frequency of complying with the smoking ban by the 1st year students.
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland (Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Social Medicine Institute).
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rzeźnicki
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland (Copernicus Memorial Hospital, Department of Pediatrics and Allergy). alergol@kopernik.lodz.pl.
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stelmach
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland (Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Social Medicine Institute).
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kowalska
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland (Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Social Medicine Institute).
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krakowiak
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland (Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Social Medicine Institute).
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Żebrowski
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland (Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Social Medicine Institute).
authors.forename: Włodzimierz
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stelmach
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland; D012907:Smoking / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000517:prevention & control; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
keywords: compliance with smoking ban; smoking ban; smoking tobacco; students