The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: In an effort to review the extension of the smoking ban to entertainment outlets (EO) like pubs, discotheques, lounges and karaoke lounges in Singapore, a population-based survey was conducted in 2004 to determine the level of support for smoking ban and to ascertain predictors to resistance to such a ban at EO.

Methods: An interviewer–administered survey was conducted among 1300 respondents. The sample was stratified by smoking status, gender, ethnicity and age. Both bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed.

Results: The majority (69.0%) of respondents was supportive of a smoking ban in at least one entertainment outlets, 18.0% of the respondents opposed a smoking ban at all these EO and 13.0% were neutral about the ban.

Males (OR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1-2.5) and daily (OR: 4.6, 95% CI: 2.8-7.4) or occasional smokers (OR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.2-6.4) were likely to oppose a smoking ban at all EO. Findings revealed that among smokers, the majority (96.8%) who resisted a smoking ban at all EO did not intend to quit smoking soon and had a lower mean score on perceived threat on harmful effects of smoking (p<0.01) when compared to smokers who supported a smoking ban.

Conclusion: While there was high level of support for a smoking ban at EO among the general population, smokers, especially those who were precontemplating about quitting smoking, were least likely to support a smoking ban. Thus, different approaches are needed to convince different groups of smokers of the benefits of a smoking ban at EO.