Smoke-Free Workplaces: Not Just for Nonsmokers

As of May 31, 2006, all enclosed workplaces in Ontario will be smoke-free. While this provision of the Smoke-Free Ontario Act is being enacted to protect the health of nonsmokers, research suggests that it will also benefit smokers. Judging by studies on this issue from Canada, the United States, Australia, and Ireland, the new restrictions on public smoking will likely encourage smokers to cut down on their smoking, quit, and stay off cigarettes permanently. This update provides new evidence from Ontario that supports the international consensus on this.