Passive smoke exposure trends and workplace policy in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study (1985–2001)

Objective There has been reduced active smoking, decreased societal acceptance for smoking indoors, and changing smoking policy since the mid-1980s. We quantified passive smoke exposure trends and their relationship with workplace policy. Method We studied 2504 CARDIA participants (Blacks and Whites, 18–30 years old when recruited in 1985–86 from four US cities, reexamination 2, 5, 7, 10, and 15 years later) who never reported current smoking and attended examinations at 10 or 15 years. Results. In non-smokers with a college degree (n = 1581), total passive smoke exposure declined from 16.3 h/week in 1985/86 to 2.3 h/week in 2000/01. Less education tended to be associated with more exposure at all timepoints, for example, in high school or less (n = 292) 22.2 h/week in 1985/86 to 8.5 h/week in 2000/01. Those who experienced an increase in the restrictiveness of self-reported workplace smoking policy from 1995/96 to 2000/01 were exposed to almost 3 h per week less passive smoke than those whose workplace policies became less restrictive in this time period. Conclusions The increasing presence of restrictive workplace policies seemed to be a component of the substantial decline in self-reported passive smoke exposure since 1985.