TY - JOUR
T1 - Secondhand smoke exposure in bars and restaurants in Guatemala City
T2 - Before and after smoking ban evaluation
AU - Barnoya, Joaquin
AU - Arvizu, Mariel
AU - Jones, Miranda R.
AU - Hernandez, Juan C.
AU - Breysse, Patrick N.
AU - Navas-Acien, Ana
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgments Financial support: Funded by the Cardiovascular Unit of Guatemala (UNICAR) with additional support from the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute (FAMRI).
PY - 2011/1
Y1 - 2011/1
N2 - Objective: In February 2009, Guatemala implemented a comprehensive smoking ban. We assessed air nicotine levels in bars and restaurants 6 months after the ban (post-ban) and compared them with levels found in 2006 (pre-ban). Methods: Exposure was estimated by passive sampling of vapor-phase nicotine using samplers (n = 50) placed for 7 working days in 10 bars and 11 restaurants in Guatemala City. Air nicotine was measured by gas chromatography, and the time-weighted average concentration in μg/m3 was estimated. Employees answered a survey about smoke-free workplaces (n = 32) and compared with pre-ban (n = 37) results. Results: Nicotine was detectable in all bars pre- and post-ban. In restaurants, it was detectable in all pre- and 73% post-ban. Median nicotine concentrations in bars significantly decreased from 4.58 μg/m3 (IQR, 1.71, 6.45) pre-ban to 0.28 μg/m3 (IQR 0.17, 0.66) post-ban (87% decrease). In restaurants, concentrations significantly decreased from 0.58 μg/m3 (IQR, 0.44, 0.71) to 0.04 μg/m3 (IQR 0.01, 0.11) (95% decrease). Employees' support for a smoke-free workplace increased in the post-ban survey (from 32 to 81%, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Six months after the implementation of a smoke-free law in Guatemala, nicotine levels were significantly decreased in bars and restaurants and workers' support for the law substantially increased.
AB - Objective: In February 2009, Guatemala implemented a comprehensive smoking ban. We assessed air nicotine levels in bars and restaurants 6 months after the ban (post-ban) and compared them with levels found in 2006 (pre-ban). Methods: Exposure was estimated by passive sampling of vapor-phase nicotine using samplers (n = 50) placed for 7 working days in 10 bars and 11 restaurants in Guatemala City. Air nicotine was measured by gas chromatography, and the time-weighted average concentration in μg/m3 was estimated. Employees answered a survey about smoke-free workplaces (n = 32) and compared with pre-ban (n = 37) results. Results: Nicotine was detectable in all bars pre- and post-ban. In restaurants, it was detectable in all pre- and 73% post-ban. Median nicotine concentrations in bars significantly decreased from 4.58 μg/m3 (IQR, 1.71, 6.45) pre-ban to 0.28 μg/m3 (IQR 0.17, 0.66) post-ban (87% decrease). In restaurants, concentrations significantly decreased from 0.58 μg/m3 (IQR, 0.44, 0.71) to 0.04 μg/m3 (IQR 0.01, 0.11) (95% decrease). Employees' support for a smoke-free workplace increased in the post-ban survey (from 32 to 81%, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Six months after the implementation of a smoke-free law in Guatemala, nicotine levels were significantly decreased in bars and restaurants and workers' support for the law substantially increased.
KW - Environmental pollution
KW - Smoke-free environments
KW - Tobacco
KW - Tobacco smoke pollution
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U2 - 10.1007/s10552-010-9673-8
DO - 10.1007/s10552-010-9673-8
M3 - Article
C2 - 21046446
AN - SCOPUS:78751577594
SN - 0957-5243
VL - 22
SP - 151
EP - 156
JO - Cancer Causes and Control
JF - Cancer Causes and Control
IS - 1
ER -