Press Release

MU Researchers Find Columbians Favor Smoke-Free Workplaces

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- More than 80 percent of Columbians would frequent restaurants and bars the same or more if they were smoke-free according to a recent study by University of Missouri-Columbia researchers. The study will be published in the November/December issue of Missouri Medicine.

"Our study found almost 90 percent of people prefer a smoke-free workplace," said Kevin Everett, assistant professor of family and community medicine. "In addition, more people than not prefer smoke-free restaurants and bars."

Everett and co-author Dan Longo, professor of family and community medicine, analyzed the data that were collected through phone surveys from the University of South Carolina's Institute for Public Service and Policy Research. Results from the survey indicate that 93 percent of those surveyed would go to restaurants as much or more often if they were smoke-free, and 85 percent would go to bars as much or more often if smoke-free policies were in effect.

In addition, 69 percent of Columbians would support laws making all indoor areas of restaurants smoke-free and 57 percent would support laws making all indoor areas of bars smoke-free. Currently, 11 states require all workplaces to be smoke-free, and hundreds of cities and municipalities such as Lawrence, Kan., Lincoln, Neb., and Austin, Texas, have smoke-free policies for all bars and restaurants.

"Until now, we only had anecdotal evidence of the perceptions and preferences of local residents," Longo said. "This survey indicates that Columbia appears to be a city with community support for smoke-free workplace ordinances that would include bars and restaurants."

Participants in the study were selected randomly from households with Columbia telephone numbers. More than 700 people were surveyed. Of those surveyed, 18.5 percent were current smokers, 27.9 percent were former smokers and 53.6 percent had never smoked. The data indicate that 75 percent of Columbians do not permit smoking in their homes and 89.2 percent prefer no smoking indoors at workplaces.

A recent U.S. Surgeon General's report indicates that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Currently, about 8.6 million Americans are living with diseases caused by smoking.

The study was funded by a grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health.

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