The impact of smoke-free workplaces on declining cigarette consumption in Australia and the United States

S. Chapman, R. Borland, M. Scollo, R.C. Brownson, A. Dominello and S. Woodward

American Journal of Public Health, 1999, vol. 89, issue 7, 1018-1023

Abstract: Objectives. This study estimates the contribution of smoke-free workplaces to the recent national declines in cigarette consumption in Australia and the United States. Methods. Nineteen studies of the impact of smoke-free workplaces on workday cigarette consumption were reviewed. The number and cost of cigarettes forgone were calculated and extrapolated to a scenario in which all indoor work areas were smoke-free. Results. Of the 19 studies, 18 reported declines in daily smoking rates, and 17 reported declines in smoking prevalence. Smoke-free workplaces are currently responsible for an annual reduction of some 602 million cigarettes, or 1.8% of all cigarettes that might otherwise be consumed, in Australia, and an annual reduction of 9.7 billion cigarettes (2%) in the United States. Approximately 22.3% of the 2.7 billion decrease in cigarette consumption in Australia between 1988 and 1995 can be attributed to smoke-free workplaces, as can 12.7% of the 76.5 billion decrease in the United States between 1988 and 1994. Conclusions. If workplaces were universally smoke-free, the number of cigarettes forgone annually would increase to 1.14 billion (3.4%) in Australia and 20.9 billion (4.1%) in the United States.

Date: 1999
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:1999:89:7:1018-1023_8

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