Evaluating the effects of statewide smoking regulations on smoking behaviors among participants in the Survey of The Health of Wisconsin (SHOW)

Background and Aims: On July 5, 2010 Wisconsin Act 12 went into effect, banning smoking in public places and places of employment across Wisconsin. Studies have shown that such laws reduce exposure to secondhand smoke, but there is limited evidence about the impact of such laws on exposure to smoke outside of the home and on household smoking policies. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of smoke-free legislation among participants in the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW). Methods: A smoking history and demographic information was gathered from 1,341 SHOW participants from 2008-2010. This information allowed evaluation of the effects of Wisconsin Act 12 on smoking behaviors by comparing the behaviors of those surveyed before and after July 5, 2010. Results: The proportion of survey participants that reported exposure to smoke outside the home decreased from 55% to 32% after the statewide ban (p-value <0.0001). A similar reduction was observed for exposure to smoke at home (13% to 7%;p-value=0.002). Smoke-free legislation in Wisconsin also increased the percentage of participants with strict no-smoking policies in their households from 74% to 80% (p-value = .04). These results varied by age, income, and education with those who were older, wealthier, and more educated generally having larger improvements. Conclusion: Smoke-free legislation appears to reduce secondhand smoke exposure and to increase no-smoking policies in households. Further research should be conducted to see if these effects are maintained.