Secondhand smoke policies at state and county fairs.

Objectives: We sought to assess the smoking policies at state and county fairs in North Carolina.

Methods: We contacted North Carolina fair managers by telephone to solicit participation in a survey that assessed the extent to which fairs have written policies about smoking and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure, managers' beliefs concerning the health risks associated with SHS exposure, and specific reasons that might prompt managers to adopt smoke-free policies.

Results: Attempts were made to contact 47 fair managers, and 37 (66.0%) participated in the study. We found that although almost two-thirds of fairs prohibited smoking indoors, the vast majority (83.9%) had no limits on outdoor smoking. Most fair managers (84.6%) acknowledged that SHS may cause lung cancer, and a majority (51.6%) reported a belief that their patrons would largely be supportive of a more restrictive policy.

Limitations: Fair managers' responses were primarily based on their own opinions, estimates, and attitudes.

Conclusions: Because of the high number and density of fair patrons, unrestricted outdoor smoking likely exposes most patrons to SHS. Action to eliminate all exposure to SHS at state and county fairs is needed.