Smokefree Law in New Zealand

Research and evaluation

Reducing exposure to second hand smoke: Changes associated with the implementation of the amended New Zealand Smoke-free Environments Act 1990: 2003 - 2006

A report prepared for the Ministry of Health by the Health Sponsorship Council, September 2006. Second-hand smoke (SHS) is estimated to cause between 174 and 490 deaths a year in New Zealand. Workplaces have been identified as key settings in which people can be exposed to SHS. In 2003, the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990 was amended to extend smoking bans to all indoor workplaces. This study assesses any direct impacts of the amended legislation after it came into force in December 2004. Data for the study were drawn from four surveys carried out in early 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. Each survey consisted of a general population sample and a Maori population sample.
http://secondhandsmoke.co.nz/reasearch/reports.shtml

Impact of the Smoke-free Environments Act

The Ministry of Health is the leading agency responsible for implementing and evaluating the impacts and changes from the Smoke-free Environments legislation. Since 10 December 2004 the Smoke-free Environments Amendment Act has banned smoking in all indoor workplaces and hospitality venues.

A number of studies have been underway to measure the impact of this law change in terms of public attitudes, levels of second-hand smoke exposure in workplaces and bars, patronage trends and economic impact on hospitality venues, and compliance with the law.

Attitudes to smokefree bars among New Zealand bar managers (2006)
In December 2003, amendments to the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990 required all workplaces in New Zealand, including bars, to be completely smokefree indoors from 10 December 2004. A nationwide survey was conducted of bar managers to find out how they felt about the introduction of smokefree bars. The survey was done a month before smokefree bars were introduced (November 2004) and repeated five and eleven months after smokefree bars came into effect (May and November 2005).

Full report (PDF, 892 kB)
Summary report (PDF, 304 kB)


December 2005
The Smoke is Clearing: Anniversary Report 2005. Initial data on the impact of the Smoke-free Environments law change since 10 December 2004.
Summary of some initial data from several evaluation projects analysing the impacts of the first nine months of the Smoke-free Environments Amendment Act 2003, which introduced 100% smoke-free indoor workplaces and hospitality venues from 10 December 2004.

The report includes information about:

• Public attitudes and support for smoke-free environments
• Exposure to second-hand smoke in workplaces and bars
• Smoking behaviour and patronage trends in bars
• Economic impact on hospitality venues
• Bar managers’ perceptions of economic impact
• Compliance (national complaints database)
• Downstream impacts on smoking consumption, Quitline callers, and second-hand smoke exposure in homes.

The Smoke is Clearing: Anniversary Report 2005



April 2005
A Study of Secondhand Tobacco Smoke Exposures in Bars from Three Regions in New Zealand: Results Prior to Implementation of Ban in Smoking in Bars

A report summarising a national cotinine study of second-hand smoke exposure for patrons in a sample of 30 urban, suburban or rural New Zealand bars, conducted in 2004 (before the smoking bans came into effect).

Study of Secondhand Tobacco Smoke Exposures in Bars (Word, 1.5 MB)
Study of Secondhand Tobacco Smoke Exposures in Bars (PDF, 278 kB)


September 2005
Attitudes to smokefree bars among a cohort of New Zealand bar managers

Interim report on a longitudinal study of 346 New Zealand bar managers in November 2004 and May 2005, assessing changes in their perceptions before and after the introduction of a smoking ban in December 2004. It specifically seeks the bar managers' attitudes on topics such as approval, enforcement, rights, and economic impact.

Attitudes to Smokefree Bars Among a Cohort of NZ Bar Managers (Word, 183 kB)
Attitudes to Smokefree Bars Among a Cohort of NZ Bar Managers (PDF, 146 kB)


November 2005
Reducing exposure to second-hand smoke: changes associated with the implementation of the amended New Zealand Smoke-free Environments Act 1990: 2003 – 2005

This report is currently being updated and has been withdrawn. A new report with figures for 2003 to 2006 will be available in August 2006.


Compliance with new law high

A survey of bars by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) has found 97 percent are complying with the new smoking ban.

The National Business Bureau visited 193 bars in 20 centres throughout New Zealand before and after the smokefree legislation was introduced in December.

The survey found 183 bars (95 percent) had smokers in July 2004, compared with five bars (3 percent) in April 2005. For more information see the ASH website.


Public support for smokefree bars high

A new survey shows that the public is right behind smokefree bars - and the biggest increase in support has come from smokers.

The UMR Research survey commissioned by the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation found that public support for a complete ban on smoking in pubs and bars has increased by 13 points in the space of five months, to nearly 70 percent.

Support from smokers increased to 42 percent in April 2005, compared with 22 percent in the previous survey in November 2004. Support from non-smokers increased to 75 percent, from 66 percent in 2004.

Over the past four years public support for smokefree bars has risen from 38 percent to 69 percent. Support for smokefree restaurants is even higher - increasing from 61 percent in 2001 to 81 percent in 2005.

For more information read this press release from Associate Minister of Health Damien O'Connor. (www.beehive.govt.nz)

Page last updated 8 December 2005.