Two recent research studies, one in Scotland and the other in California, give evidence that smoking bans are improving the health of bar workers.

In 1995, California passed a law called “smoke-free workplace” a public health measure designed to protect all employees from exposure to secondhand smoke in indoor workplaces. The banning of smoking indoors was phased in, bars being the last phase in January of 1998.

Since laws like this have been passed, researchers have been able to study the health benefits of smoke-free workplaces and the findings have been encouraging to those who support smoking bans, “showing not only that people who work behind bars are healthier if they no longer inhale smoke, but also that they recover more quickly than was thought when smoking is banned.”

Researchers in Scotland say that the most surprising finding was the speed at which health improved after the ban. In California, the similar findings were published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, citing “compelling scientific evidence that smoke-free workplace legislation is rapidly effective in improving the health of workers.”

Read the entire article that first appeared in St. Andrew’s Journal, “As smoke clears, Scots Breath Easy Behind the Bar” then, post a comment with your opinion.

Do you think laws in Spain have gone too far or haven’t gone far enough? Should we be concerned about protecting the health of those who work in bars?