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Publications

Journal Article Ahead of print

PubMed: 41344995 DOI: 10.1136/tc-2024-059228

People who smoke and formerly smoked do support a smoking ban in open spaces during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain.

Tob Control

Authors: Armando Peruga, Marcela Fu, Yolanda Castellano, Olena Tigova, Pete Driezen, Anne C K Quah, Geoffrey T Fong, Esteve Fernández

Affiliations

  • Tobacco Control Research Group, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, l'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Tobacco Control Unit, Catalan Institute of Oncology - WHO Collaborating Centre for Tobacco Control, l'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Centre for Biomedical Research in Respiratory Diseases, Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
  • Center for Epidemiology & Health Policies, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile.
  • Tobacco Control Research Group, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, l'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Department of Public Health, Mental Health, and Maternal and Child Health Nursing, School of Nursing, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Tobacco Control Research Group, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, l'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain. Tobacco Control Unit, Catalan Institute of Oncology - WHO Collaborating Centre for Tobacco Control, l'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain. Centre for Biomedical Research in Respiratory Diseases, Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
  • School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
  • Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
  • Secretariat for Public Health, Department of Health, Government of Catalonia, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Spain implemented an extensive outdoor smoking ban during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. We examined support for this restriction during and beyond the pandemic among people who currently and formerly smoked.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study. The 2021 ITC EUREST-PLUS Spain Survey used a multistage sampling to obtain a representative sample of people who currently or formerly smoked (n=1006). We estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) to examine associations with ban support during and after the pandemic. Analyses accounted for the complex sampling design and were weighted to ensure representativeness.

RESULTS

Most people who currently (79.2%) and formerly smoked (94.6%) supported the outdoor smoking ban when a safe interpersonal distance could not be maintained during the pandemic. Support for a permanent ban remained substantial (61.4% and 87.2%, respectively). Those who currently smoke were more likely to support bans during and after the pandemic if they had smoke-free homes (PR=1.11; PR=1.29, respectively), understood secondhand smoke harms to health (PR=1.40; PR=1.65), had tried to quit (PR=1.14; PR=1.30) and self-reported as healthy (PR=1.40; PR=1.47). Those who formerly smoked were more likely to support bans during the pandemic if they had smoke-free homes (PR=1.08) and did not self-report as healthy (PR=0.95); and after the pandemic if they had quit smoking for ≥6 months (PR=1.23) and used alternative tobacco products (PR=1.17).

CONCLUSIONS

Most people who currently or formerly smoked in Spain supported the outdoor smoking ban during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This high acceptance suggests that the pandemic may have created an opportunity to strengthen tobacco control.

MeSH

Covid-19, Smoke, Pandemics, Smoking, Smoke-Free Policy