Environmental tobacco smoke concentrations in no-smoking and smoking sections of restaurants

To characterize the effectiveness of a local ordinance that restricts smoking in restaurants to one third of the seating area, this study made simultaneous measurements of two markers of environmental tobacco smoke, respirable suspended particles and nicotine, in the smoking and no-smoking sections of seven restaurants. The mean concentrations of respirable suspended particles and nicotine were 40% and 65% lower, respectively, in the no-smoking than in the smoking sections, indicating substantial but not complete protection against exposure.