ENVIRONMENTAL TOBACCO-SMOKE CONCENTRATIONS IN NO-SMOKING AND SMOKING SECTIONS OF RESTAURANTS

To characterize the effectiveness of a local ordinance that restricts smoking in restaurants to one third of the seating area, this study ma de simultaneous measurements of two markers of environmental tobacco s moke, respirable suspended particles and nicotine, in the smoking and no-smoking sections of seven restaurants. The mean concentrations of r espirable suspended particles and nicotine were 40% and 65% lower, res pectively, in the no-smoking than in the smoking sections, indicating substantial but not complete protection against exposure.