SMOKING IN HOTELS - PREVALENCE, AND OPINIONS ABOUT RESTRICTIONS

Exposure to high levels of environmental tobacco smoke can occur in ho tels. Controversy exists about smoking regulation on licensed premises . This survey of 138 people attending one of three Newcastle hotels du ring 1993 found that 57 per cent of respondents were nonsmokers. Fifty -eight per cent (95 per cent confidence interval (CI) 50 to 66 per cen t) of respondents in these hotels believed their health was being adve rsely affected by other people's smoke in the hotel. Seventy per cent (CI 62 to 78 per cent), including half the smokers, were in favour of restriction of smoking in the hotels. Most preferred the establishment of smoke-free areas to the introduction of total smoking bans in hote ls. The failure of hotels to regulate smoking suggests that a legislat ive approach is required. The case for legislation would be strengthen ed by a larger study elsewhere in Australia.