Short-Term Impact of a Comprehensive Smoke-Free Law Following a Partial Smoke-Free Law on PM2.5 Concentration Levels at Hospitality Venues on the Peripheries of College Campuses

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Sol Yu³  Wonho Yang¹  Kiyoung Lee²  Sungcheon Kim⁵  Kwonchul Ha⁴  Sungroul Kim³ 

[1] Department of Occupational Health, Catholic University of Daegu, Gyeongsan-si 712-702, Korea; E-Mail:;Department of Environmental Health and Institute of Health and Environment, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea; E-Mail:;Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan 336-745, Korea; E-Mail:;Department of Biochemistry & Health Science, Changwon National University, Changwon 641-773, Korea; E-Mail:;Department of Environmental Engineering, Kunsan National University, Seoul 110-810, Korea; E-Mail:

关键词: secondhand smoke;    college campus;    hospitality venues;    PM_2.5;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph121114034

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Tobacco-free policies on college campuses are spreading in Korea. However, the impact of the smoking ban legislation at venues on the boundary of a college campus is still limited. This study aimed to assess short-term changes in PM_2.5 concentrations before and after the enactment of the smoking ban legislation to evaluate the impact. In this cross-sectional study, PM_2.5 measurements (pre-ban: n = 99, post-ban: n = 64) were conducted in randomly selected billiards, pubs, and computer game rooms on the peripheries of college campuses in October 2013, prior to implementation of the smoking ban, and in May 2014, after the ban. The median (interquartile range, IQR) of the PM_2.5 concentration for all venues was 31 μg/m³ (0–80 μg/m³) in the pre-ban period and 11 μg/m³ (0–36 μg/m³) in the post-ban period implying indoor PM_2.5 concentration levels of the peripheries of college campuses likely decreased one year after implementation of the ban. However, the differences were not significant yet. The results support the introduction of more rigorous monitoring of SHS exposure levels toward the ultimate goal of encouraging a complete smoking ban in hospitality venues, including billiards, pubs, and computer game rooms located on the peripheries of college campuses.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.