A review of smoking policies in airports around the world

Abstract

ObjectiveTo review smoking policies of major international airports, to compare these policies with corresponding incountry tobacco control legislation and to identify areas of improvement for advancing smoke-free policy in airports.MethodsWe reviewed smoking policies of 34 major international airports in five world regions, and collected data on current national and subnational legislation on smoke-free indoor places in the corresponding airport locations. We then compared airport smoking policies with local legislation. Additionally, we collected anecdotal information concerning smoking rules and practices in specific airports from an online traveller website.ResultsWe found that 52.9% of the airports reviewed had indoor smoking rooms or smoking areas; smoking policy was unknown or unstated for two airports. 55.9% of the airports were located in countries where national legislation allowed designated smoking rooms and areas, while 35.3% were in smoke-free countries. Subnational legislation restricted smoking in 60% of the airport locations, while 40% were smoke-free. 71.4% of the airport locations had subnational legislation that allowed smoke-free laws to be more stringent than at the national level, but only half of these places had enacted such laws.ConclusionsDespite the increasing presence of smoke-free places and legal capacity to enact stricter legislation at the local level, airports represent a public and occupational space that is often overlooked in national or subnational smoke-free policies. Secondhand smoke exposure in airports can be reduced among travellers and workers by implementing and enforcing smoke-free policies in airports. Additionally, existing information on smoke-free legislation lacks consistent terminology and definitions, which are needed to inform future tobacco control policy within airports and in the law.

Cigarrillos electrónicos en aeropuertos y en vuelos: Europa y EEUU

“…Asimismo, se debería recomendar a los aeropuertos para que adopten políticas para proteger a todos sus empleados y usuarios (Grana et al, 2014a;Stillman et al, 2015b). La prohibición del uso de cigarrillos electróni-cos en aeropuertos y durante vuelos ayudará a asegurar el cumplimiento de las leyes sobre espacios libres de humo y para reducir la exposición a aerosoles entre pasajeros, miembros de la tripulación, y empleados de los aeropuertos.…”

“…Un estudio realizado en 34 aeropuertos internacionales principales mostró que los aeropuertos representan un espacio público y ocupacional que con frecuencia son olvidados en las políticas libres de humo (Stillman, Soong, Kleb, Grant y Navas-Acien, 2015b). Según otro estudio realizado en los mismos 21 aeropuertos objeto de este manuscrito, la publicidad, la promoción y el patrocinio de tabaco se han generalizado, y podrían estar relacionados con el consumo de tabaco en espacios exteriores del aeropuerto (Soong et al, 2016).…”

“…Stillman et al (2015b) informaron de la confusión existente entre asistentes de vuelo y pasajeros sobre el uso de los cigarrillos electrónicos durante un vuelo, pero no incluyeron más información sobre las políticas o los enfoques de las aerolíneas respecto a estos productos. Este estudio tiene como objetivo describir la presencia de políticas, publicidad, venta y uso de cigarrillos electrónicos en aeropuertos y en determinados vuelos en Europa y en los EE.UU.…”

A Cross-Sectional Study of Tobacco Advertising, Promotion, and Sponsorship in Airports across Europe and the United States

“…Airport smoke-free policies have been implemented indoor in airports in Spain and Russia [2,3], while a California state law requires buildings to restrict outdoor smoking a minimum distance from entrances [4]. However, the widespread availability of tobacco products for sale, the presence of advertisements, and other subtler forms of tobacco promotion and sponsorship detract from these smoke-free policies.…”

Tobacco exceptionalism in airports: time to address gaps

“…In a second article, Stillman et al 3 review smoking policies of 34 major international airports around the world and report that over 50% of them still have smoking rooms or smoking areas, including some located in countries with otherwise strong national smoke-free policies. There are now over 600 US airports that are 100% smoke-free, and they seem to be doing fine 4.…”