The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: To assess the magnitude of tobacco smoke exposure in public places in Poland

Methods: The Polish study, coordinated by the Health Promotion Foundation, was conducted in two big cities (Warsaw, Lublin) and two small towns (Ciechanow, Rudnik) within the EU multi-country research and policy project led by the Public Health Agency in Barcelona, Spain. The ETS assessment was based on the air nicotine concentration and measured by filters. In Poland, 168 tests were conducted in the following places: hospitality and municipal sector, industry and private companies, schools, hospitals, homes.

Results: Although Polish results were not the highest where compared with other European countries, they clearly showed the highest nicotine concentration in dancing clubs and pubs (average: 25 µg/m3). In other places, the concentration was several times lower (1-1,9 µg/m3). It means that existing legislative regulations are not especially observed in dancing clubs and pubs, a public place very often visited by teenagers and young adults. This situation requires urgent intervention and suggests to introduce total ban on smoking in all public places, but especially in hospitality sector (dancing clubs, pubs, restaurants). Examples of many European countries, US states and cities and Canadian provinces show that this policy is only effective in reducing tobacco smoke pollution in public places and does not create any serious social and economic problems.