Second-hand smoke: Exposure, attitudes and behaviours: Monitoring trends 1999 to 2004 – preliminary findings

The detrimental health effects of smoking have been known for decades, but it wasn’t until the mid eighties that major reviews concluded that passive smoking or exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) was harmful to non-smokers. Recent years have seen a greater focus on reducing SHS exposure including, SHS campaigns in 2003/2004 and amendments to the Smokefree Environment Act. This study aimed to assess whether any changes have occurred over time in key variables relating to SHS exposure in New Zealand, the study spans five years from 1999 to 2004. The past five years have seen positive attitudinal changes towards total smoking bans in homes and cars. In 2003 and 2004 two-fifths of the general population were still exposed to SHS in the home, with Maori more likely than non-Maori to report SHS exposure. Over the past five years less Maori who reported smoking are smoking indoors at home however, this is not the case inside cars, with figures remaining stable. In 2003 and 2004 one-fifth of respondents were exposed to SHS at work. Respondents’ views on allowing smoking anywhere in bars and pubs have strengthened since 1999, with decreasing support for allowing smoking anywhere. Support for legislation to ban smoking inside workplaces including hospitality settings has increased over the past five years.