Governor Davis Announces Smoke-Free Workplace/Bar Survey Results; Most Californians Support Laws that Ban Tobacco Smoke in Public Places.

News Editors & City Desks

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 20, 2002

Nearly five years after California's groundbreaking smoke-free bar law took effect, two new Field Research polls for the Department of Health Services show overwhelming support for smoke-free bars, Governor Gray Davis announced today.

The polls were released at the 2002 National Conference on Tobacco or Health in San Francisco. According to the polls, 75 percent of bar owners and employees in California prefer to work in smoke-free environments. Nearly 80 percent of bar patrons agree that smoke-free dining and drinking establishments are important to their health.

"This study shows California's nationwide leadership in employee protection laws is backed by owners and workers alike," Gov. Davis said. "Despite the tobacco industry's aggressive interference and misinformation campaign, smoke-free bars are preferred by the majority of bar owners and employees, and bar patrons."

According to the 2002 "bar establishment" opinion poll, 75 percent of bar owners and employees said they now prefer to work in a smoke-free environment, compared to 47 percent in 1998. This represents a 60 percent increase in bar owner and employee support for the law.

In the same period, the 2002 "bar patron" opinion poll show that 79 percent of bar patrons surveyed said it's important to have a smoke-free environment inside clubs, bars, lounges and restaurants with bars, a 20 percent increase from the 66 percent reported in 1998.

"The repeated attempts by the tobacco industry and its allies to overturn this measure have failed because Californians want smoke-free environments," said State Health Director Diana Bonta, R.N., and Dr.P.H.

"California's success in protecting people from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke has encouraged numerous cities and states across the U.S., as well as other countries, to follow our lead in establishing smoke-free indoor workplaces, including eating and drinking establishments."

The Field Research Corporation, a leading independent public opinion research firm, conducted the two polls for California Department of Health Services (CDHS). The "bar establishment" survey was conducted September through October 2002 among a random sample of bar owners, managers, assistant managers and bartenders working for stand-alone bars and combination bars (i.e., those connected to restaurants, hotels or card clubs) in California. A total of 650 participants were interviewed by telephone. This is the second such survey conducted for CDHS.

The statewide "bar patron" survey was conducted in September 2002 among a random sample of recent bar patrons age 21 or older living in California. This is the fourth such survey conducted for CDHS. A total of 1,000 bar patrons were interviewed using a random digit dial methodology.

Secondhand smoke is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States and is scientifically linked to numerous diseases, including lung cancer, heart disease, asthma and other respiratory diseases. Mounting scientific studies continue to confirm the detrimental affects of secondhand smoke to non-smokers.

California's Law for a Smoke-free Workplace (AB 13) has required nearly all workplaces to be smoke-free since January 1, 1995. The smoke-free bar provision went into effect on January 1, 1998.

Other key findings of the "bar establishment" survey include:

-- The majority (77 percent) of bar managers and employees surveyed said a smoke-free environment inside their bar is "very" or "somewhat" important to them, compared to 53 percent of those surveyed in 1998.

-- The majority of bar managers and employees (77 percent) said complying with the law has been "very" or "fairly" easy.

-- More than eight in 10 bar managers and employees (83 percent) surveyed said they think the smoke-free workplace law protects their health and the health of other bar employees, while only 15 percent think it does not.

Other key findings of the "bar patron" survey include:

-- The majority of bar patrons (87 percent), including smokers

(71 percent), said they are more likely to visit bars, or have

not changed their bar-going behavior, as a result of the law.

-- In 2002, 75 percent of bar patrons surveyed said they approve

of the law, compared to 59 percent surveyed in 1998. Even

among smokers, support of the law has nearly doubled,

increasing from 24 percent in 1998 to 45 percent in 2002.