The results of a new study show that the smoking ban in public places, which was implemented in Switzerland in May 2010, improves the health of the service personnel.
The study, known as COSIBAR (Cohort Study on SmokeFree Intervention in Bars and Restaurants), was conducted by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute and its results were announced during the Swiss Public Health Conference in Lausanne.
The investigators measured the hearth rate variability and and the pulse wave velocity of people working both in smoke free and not completely smoke-free environments in the gastronomy sector before and 12 months after the introduction of the smoking ban. The results showed that the service personnel faced a large burden through passive smoking, which was equivalent to smoking five cigarettes per day. After the smoking ban, this burden was reduced about 16 times. People who worked in establishments that followed the smoking ban had moreover a measurable improvement in their cardiovascular systems; on the contrary, people that continued to wok in smoking bars or restaurants did not have any improvement.
Further results of the study, including lung function measurements are expected to be published by the end of 2012.
The full press release of the study can be found here. For further information, please contact the study investigators, Prof. Dr. Martin Röösli and Sarah Rajkumar .