[Restrictions to smoking at the workplace and smoking habits: a literature review]

Based on a critical review of the literature, we assess the consequences of restrictive smoking policies at the worksite on smoking habits of active smokers. The majority of the fourteen studies reported to date (eleven studies from the United States, one study from Canada, one from Australia and one from the FRG) suggest that restrictive smoking policies might have a major impact on reduction of cigarette smoking and eventual smoking cessation of active smokers. However, most of the studies suffer from serious methodologic limitations, and more stringent scientific investigations should be carried out. Nevertheless, implementation of restrictive smoking policies at the worksite appears to be a reasonable measure of nonsmoker protection, even before definitive evaluation of the impact on smoking behavior of active smokers. Such implementation should take place without discrimination of smokers in the context of comprehensive worksite prevention programs and should be accompanied by thorough scientific evaluation.