Voluntary home and car smoke-free rules in Japan: a cross-sectional study in 2015

BMJ Open. 2019 Mar 5;9(3):e024615. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024615.

Abstract

Objectives: Recently, the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly passed an ordinance prohibiting smoking in private homes and cars if children are present. However, no previous study has investigated existing, voluntary home and car smoke-free rules in Japan. Therefore, we examined prevalence and determinants of comprehensive home and car smoke-free rules.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Setting: Internet survey data with adjustments using inverse probability weighting for 'being a respondent in an internet survey'.

Participants: 5600 respondents aged 15-69 years in 2015 were analysed to estimate weighted percentages and prevalence ratios (PRs) with 95% CIs of having comprehensive home and car smoke-free rules.

Main outcome measures: Respondents who answered 'smoking is never allowed' in their home and car were defined as having home and car smoke-free rules.

Results: Overall, 47.0% (95% CI=45.8% to 48.3%) of respondents implemented comprehensive home and car smoke-free rules. People who agreed with 'smoking relieves stress' were less likely to have comprehensive smoke-free rules (PR=0.76, 0.71 to 0.82), especially among ever-users of electronic nicotine delivery systems (PR=0.49, 0.30 to 0.81). Higher education was significantly associated with higher PR for comprehensive smoke-free rules (PR=1.30, 1.19 to 1.41). Living with children was significantly associated with higher PR for smoke-free rules among current smokers than not living with children (PR=2.91, 1.99 to 4.27).

Conclusions: In Japan, about 50% of respondents had voluntary smoke-free rules in the home and car. Information on current voluntary smoke-free rules will be useful as baseline information on home and car smoke-free status before enforcement of the 2018 Tokyo home and car smoke-free legislation.

Keywords: Japan; comprehensive home and car smoke-free rules; electronic nicotine delivery systems.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Automobiles*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Ex-Smokers / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Housing*
  • Humans
  • Japan / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Non-Smokers / statistics & numerical data
  • Smoke-Free Policy*
  • Smokers / statistics & numerical data
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Vaping / epidemiology
  • Young Adult