Smoking in the workplace: do smoking patterns and attitudes reflect the legislative environment?

With regard to the workplace, to examine restrictions on smoking, smoking at work, attitudes toward and reactions to restrictions, and workplace programmes in the context of the legislative environment.

Population-based telephone interview survey of adult residents of the jurisdictions of Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Workers within the City of Toronto (n = 374) were compared with other workers (n = 536), because their legislative environments with regard to workplace smoking were markedly different, with workplaces in the City of Toronto being covered by a much more stringent bylaw.

In comparison with other workers, City of Toronto workers reported workplace restrictions to be more common and widespread. These workers were also less likely to smoke at work, and more likely to smoke less at work and to have cut down on smoking at work. Quit-smoking rates, however, were similar. There was evidence of some compensatory smoking outside work, but additional compensation in association with more stringent restrictions was not found. City workers and other workers were similar in their support for smoke-free workplaces, in their attitudes to the role of governments in regulating workplace smoking, and in their perceptions of conflict between smokers and non-smokers. Reports of quit-smoking programmes and educational interventions in the workplace were similarly uncommon, although both groups of workers indicated strong support for the role of business and industry in helping people quit.

Restrictions on smoking and smoking patterns reflected the legislative environment; a more stringent environment was associated with more restrictions and less smoking at work.