[A survey examining the countermeasures taken by restaurants to prevent passive smoking and an analysis of the economic impact of smoking prohibition in restaurants].

Objectives: This study examines the countermeasures taken by restaurants to prevent passive smoking and the impact of smoking prohibition on both the number of customers and sales volume in restaurants.

Methods: An interview-based survey was administered to 8,558 restaurant managers in Aichi prefecture. The survey questions concerned the countermeasures taken against passive smoking within each restaurant and the effect of the prohibition of smoking on both the number of customers and sales volume between November 1, 2009, and February 26, 2010.

Results: Seven thousand and eighty managers responded to the survey (response rate 83%). The proportion of managers of restaurants with a complete smoking ban was 16.4%, of restaurants with a smoking and non-smoking room or section was 20.2%, and of restaurants where no countermeasures were taken was 63.4%. The results showed that among the restaurants with a complete smoking ban, the number of customers and sales volume increased in 1.5%, decreased in 3.9%, and did not change in 95%. Differences in countermeasures were seen according to the type of restaurant. A high proportion of restaurants with a complete ban were curry shops and fast food restaurants, while few such restaurants were bars or Izakaya (Japanese style bars) and Yakiniku (Korean style BBQ) restaurants.

Conclusion: The results of this large-scale survey in Aichi prefecture suggest that the economic impact of smoking prohibition in restaurants, in terms of the number of customers and sales volume, is small.