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. 1993 Sep;83(9):1284–1288. doi: 10.2105/ajph.83.9.1284

Smoking control in restaurants: the effectiveness of self-regulation in Australia.

M J Schofield 1, R Considine 1, C A Boyle 1, R Sanson-Fisher 1
PMCID: PMC1694958  PMID: 8363005

Abstract

OBJECTIVES. The provision of smoke-free areas in restaurants has been a controversial issue; the restaurant industry largely opts for a self-regulation approach. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of self-regulation as a strategy in meeting the industry's and customers' perceived needs. METHODS. Restaurateur and customer perspectives on the provision of smoke-free areas in restaurants were examined by survey among 365 restaurateurs and 1327 customers in New South Wales, Australia. RESULTS. Less than 2% of restaurants were totally smoke-free; 22% provided some smoke-free areas. Customers were much more likely than owners to think that smoke-free areas should be provided. Owners appeared to be unaware of customers' views about smoke-free areas in restaurants. CONCLUSIONS. Little evidence was found to support the effectiveness of the self-regulation policy adopted by the restaurant industry. Characteristics of restaurants and owners associated with the provision of smoke-free areas are presented and implications of the findings are discussed.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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