WORKPLACE COMPLIANCE WITH A NO-SMOKING LAW - A RANDOMIZED COMMUNITY INTERVENTION TRIAL

Background. Compliance with state and local laws restricting smoking i n public places and workplaces has not been systematically evaluated. Methods. We assessed workplace compliance with a comprehensive no-smok ing law adopted in Brookline, Mass, and tested whether mailing informa tion to businesses increased awareness of and compliance with the law. We conducted a random sample telephone survey of 299 businesses (87% response rate). Self-reported compliance was validated by direct obser vations. Results. One year after its adoption, the law was popular wit h businesses. The prevalence of smoking restrictions, smoking policies , and no-smoking signs was 80%, 59%, and 40%, respectively. One third of businesses banned smoking. Full compliance with the law was low, ho wever, because few businesses posted a copy of their smoking policy as required. The mailing increased employers' awareness of the law. Empl oyers' sent the mailing also reported better compliance, but this was not confirmed by direct observations. Conclusions. The law was popular and contributed to a high prevalence of workplace smoking restriction s. Different interpretations of the law by policymakers and businesses seemed to explain why formal compliance was low. The mailing increase d awareness of, but not compliance with, the law.