[Smoke-free restaurants: opinions and acceptance in a representative sample of the German population]

Every year over 3,300 non-smokers in Germany die from diseases caused by passive smoking. It was the aim of this study to obtain country-wide representative opinions about a smoking ban in restaurants.

Data were obtained from a cross-sectional sample of the population, 2,008 men and women aged 16 years or over. Opinions on smoking ban in restaurants were analysed by bivariate and multivariate methods with regard to potential influencing factors such as smoking status and socio-demographic status.

The majority of those questioned, namely 50% (95% confidence interval 57-61), wished for a smoking ban in restaurants. This represents an increase of 6% compared with the preceding year. While over 82% of never-smokers and 71% of previous smokers were in favor of a smoking ban, agreement for a ban among smokers averaged 25%, depending on the amount smoked. Agreement was especially common among women, the elderly and married persons. Three of four Germans said that they would continue to go to restaurants as frequently after smoking had been banned there.

This is the first scientific study of opinions among the population on the smoking ban in restaurants of Germany. The current average approval rate for a ban was comparable to that among other nations. An overwhelming majority of the population would welcome a smoking ban and would, after its introduction, visit restaurants as often as previously.