The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: Protection from passive smoking in private homes and cars relies on voluntary smoke-free policies. This presentation examines the impact of tobacco control legislation to ban smoking in restaurants in 1999 and workplaces in 2004, on smoke-free homes and smoke-free cars.

Methods: Each year from 1993 – 2004, representative samples of 3000 + South Australians were interviewed about their smoking policies in their homes and private cars.

Results: A clear and unprecedented increase was observed in the prevalence of smoke-free homes and smoke-free cars between 1998 and 1999. This increase occurred subsequent to the introduction of smoke-free restaurant laws, and associated publicity. The increase was greater than the impact of a social marketing campaign targeted at that precise issue. The impact of highly publicised workplace (including bar) laws will also be presented.

These findings demonstrate that clean air laws contribute to a culture in which people are aware of the risks to others of smoking and smoking inside is no longer the norm. As a result, people are increasingly likely to go outside to smoke. There are important implications for protecting children from second hand smoke and adult role modelling of smoking.