Abstract
Background Clean indoor air policies have been adopted to protect employees in all workplaces from exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. Despite numerous studies where no significant economic effects were associated with clean indoor air policies, concerns persist that such policies will have a severe, negative effect on alcohol-licensed businesses. Purpose This study examines the effect of a comprehensive, statewide clean indoor air law on bar and restaurant employment in Minnesota as a whole, as well as by region in the state. Methods Interrupted time-series analyses were conducted separately on bar and restaurant employment between 2004 and 2008 using data reported by businesses to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. The statewide clean indoor air policy was implemented October 2007; analyses were conducted in 2009. Results After accounting for changes in employment in all other sectors for the state as a whole, there were no significant changes in statewide bar or restaurant employment associated with the state-level clean indoor air policy. Additionally, no significant changes were observed in regional bar or restaurant employment following enactment of the clean indoor air policy. Conclusions Enactment of a comprehensive clean indoor air policy in Minnesota did not result in significant changes in bar or restaurant employment in rural or urban regions of the state or the state as a whole. In Minnesota, neither bars nor restaurants were associated with significant changes in employment following the enactment of a comprehensive, statewide clean indoor air policy.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | S16-S22 |
| Journal | American journal of preventive medicine |
| Volume | 39 |
| Issue number | 6 SUPPL. 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 2010 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:We thank the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development for its cooperation in use of employment data. This research was funded by ClearWay Minnesota research program grant RC-2008-0017 . The contents of this manuscript are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views of ClearWay Minnesota.
Funding Information:
This paper was supported by ClearWay Minnesota SM as part of a supplement entitled ClearWay Minnesota SM : Advancing Tobacco Control Through Applied Research (Am J Prev Med 2010;39[6S1]).
