Prevention Matters

A new study suggests that comprehensive clean indoor air policies do not lead to a reduction in hospitality jobs, and that exempting bars from community smoking bans makes no economic difference in terms of preserving bar employment.

The research, published in the June issue of the journal Prevention Science, this is the first analysis to compare the economic effects of different levels of clean indoor air policies in multiple cities. The study, led by Elizabeth Klein, assistant professor of health behavior and health promotion at Ohio State University, examined employment trends over three years in eight Minnesota cities with different types of clean indoor air policies and two cities with no laws restricting smoking.