Legislation reduces exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke in New Zealand bars by about 90%.

Aim: To measure exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) in New Zealand bars before and after comprehensive smoke-free legislation enacted on 10 December 2004.

Methods: Cotinine is the main specific metabolite of nicotine and a well-established biomarker for SHS exposure. We measured cotinine levels in saliva of non-smoking volunteers before and after a 3 h visit to 30 randomly selected bars in 3 cities across the country.

Secondhand tobacco smoke exposure in New Zealand bars: results prior to implementation of the bar smoking ban.

Aims: To measure secondhand smoke (SHS) levels in New Zealand bars prior to smokefree legislation enacted on 10 December 2004.

Methods: Thirty bars were randomly selected from urban, surburban, and surrounding rural areas of Auckland, Wellington, and Invercargill. Bars were visited (on a Friday or Saturday night for a 3-hour stay between 1800 and 2400 hours) in July/August/September 2004 (winter) and again in October/November 2004 (spring).

Increase in saliva cotinine after three hours' exposure to second-hand smoke in bars.

Objective: To determine whether measurement of cotinine in saliva is a sensitive measure of exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) among customers in bars.

Design: Before/after comparison of saliva cotinine and subjective assessments of SHS.

Setting: Three bars in Wellington, New Zealand, June 2003.