Ban on smoking in pubs and restaurants

• Abstract
• Purpose of health policy or idea
• Characteristics of this policy
• Political and economic background
• Purpose and process analysis
• Expected outcome
• References

Featured in half-yearly report: Health Policy Developments 7/8

Abstract

A reformed tobacco law was enacted in June 2006. The new law bans smoking in pubs and restaurants, except in specific closed and ventilated rooms where it is not allowed to serve or consume food and drinks. Besides reducing smoking in general the main objective is to reduce passive smoking of employees and non-smoking customers which was not effectively controlled for by the earlier law only restricting smoking to designated but open areas in pubs and restaurants.

Purpose of health policy or idea

The purpose of the policy is to reduce smoking and to reduce passive smoking of non-smoking customers and employees at pubs and restaurants. A more general objective is to reduce smoking altogether and reduce health problems associated with it. Before the reform smoking was allowed only in certain designated sections of pubs and restaurants (not more than 50% of floor space). However, this did not efficiently protect employees or other customers from passive smoking, partly because technical means to prevent the spreading of smoke were not sufficient. In small pubs and restaurants with a floor space less than 50 square meters smoking was allowed.

Main points

Main objectives

The main objective is to reduce smoking and to reduce passive smoking of non-smoking customers and employees of bars and restaurants.

Type of incentives

Binding legislation is used as an incentive to make the change.

Groups affected

Smokers, pub and restaurant employees and customers, owners of pubs and restaurants

Degree of Innovation	traditional		innovative
Degree of Controversy	consensual		highly controversial
Structural or Systemic Impact	marginal		fundamental
Public Visibility	very low		very high
Transferability	strongly system-dependent		system-neutral

This legislative reform is a part of the long process to decrease smoking in the Finnish population using different measures.

Political and economic background

This legislative reform can be seen as a part of a long process to reduce smoking in the Finnish population using different measures. Before 2000 smoking in pubs and restaurants was not restricted at all. In 2000 the tobacco law was reformed so that smoking was allowed only in certain sections of pubs and restaurants (not more than 50% of floor space) and restaurants had to construct technical barriers (walls, effective ventilation) to prevent the spreading of smoke to other parts of the restaurant. In pubs and restaurants smaller than 50 square meters smoking was still allowed as it was considered that technical barriers are impossible or very difficult to build.

However, it was seen that the earlier reform did not efficiently protect employees and other customers from passive smoking, partly because technical means to prevent the spreading of smoke were not sufficient. The most important goal behind the new reform was to protect the employees. At the time, smoking was already banned at other workplaces in Finland.

Purpose and process analysis

Current Process Stages

	Idea	Pilot	Policy Paper	Legislation	Implementation	Evaluation	Change
Implemented in this survey?

Origins of health policy idea

The idea and important experiences for banning smoking in pubs and restaurant came from Ireland and Norway where complete bans had been prepared earlier and implemented in 2004. The experiences had been mainly positive. Italy and Sweden have also introduced similar bans later.

Initiators of idea/main actors

• Government: Ministry for Social Affairs and Health strongly supported the legislation change. The National Publich Health Institute had a similar position. Draft for legislation reform was partly prepared with the employee and employer organisations.

Approach of idea

The approach of the idea is described as:
amended: Continuation of legislative reforms gradually restricting smoking in public places

Innovation or pilot project

Else - Ireland, Norway, Italy and Sweden

Stakeholder positions

Especially the owners of small pubs opposed the smoking ban, as they have no or very expensive options to build separate rooms for smoking. They have to implement the reform until July 2007, whereas larger pubs and restaurants have a transition period until July 2009. This was considered to be reasonable as larger pubs and restaurans had to invest in technical barriers quite recently to implement the earlier tobacco law reform. In 2005 about 60% of the Finnish population was in favour of a smoking ban in pubs and restaurants.

Actors and positions

Government
Parliament	very supportive		strongly opposed
Owners of bars and restaurants	very supportive		strongly opposed
Public	very supportive		strongly opposed

Influences in policy making and legislation

The law was enacted by the Parliament as it was proposed by the Government.

Legislative outcome

success

Actors and influence

Government
Parliament	very strong		none
Owners of bars and restaurants	very strong		none
Public	very strong		none

Positions and Influences at a glance

Adoption and implementation

The reformed law comes into force in June 2007. However, for restaurants which have fully implemented older regulations on a separate smoking section in the restaurant, the law allows a two year transition period. Pubs and restaurants are key actors in implementation.

Monitoring and evaluation

The Parliament obliged the Government to monitor how the objectives of the reform are met.

Expected outcome

The reform will have a significant effect on smoking and passive smoking in pubs and restaurants. Probably a significant part of restaurants and pubs are not going to build separate smoking rooms. An undesirable effect, at least from the perspective of the owners of pubs and restaurants, is that possibly people do not spend as much time in these places as earlier.

Impact of this policy

Quality of Health Care Services	marginal		fundamental
Level of Equity	system less equitable		system more equitable
Cost Efficiency	very low		very high

The impact of the reform will be the decrease of smoking related public health problems.

References

Author/s and/or contributors to this survey

Lauri Vuorenkoski

Suggested citation for this online article

Lauri Vuorenkoski. "Ban on smoking in pubs and restaurants". Health Policy Monitor, October 2006. Available at http://www.hpm.org/survey/fi/a8/1