Smoke-free restaurants, pubs and cafés

In May 2004 the Riksdag accepted the government bill on smoke-free eating and drinking establishments. This means that from 1 June 2005 all pubs, restaurants and cafés in Sweden are smoke-free.

Why should smoking be banned in restaurants and other places serving food and drinks?

In 1994 a regulation on smoke-free working environments was introduced in the Tobacco Act. The regulation stated that employers should ensure that employees are not exposed to tobacco smoke against their will in the workplace or any similar place of employed activity. Eating and drinking premises were exempted from this regulation. Since then, research has demonstrated the negative impact of passive smoking on health.

Common goal: smoke-free eating and drinking establishments

On 15 May 2002 the Riksdag decided in accordance with Government Bill 2001/02:64, Certain tobacco-related issues that from 1 January 2003 there must be smoke-free zones in eating and drinking premises at all restaurants, bars and other such establishments. Previously this rule had applied only to eating and drinking establishments with seating for more than 50 people. In the Bill, the Government also pointed to the need for a more thorough investigation of the issue of smoke-free eating and drinking establishments.

The Government set the target of smoke-free eating and drinking establishments from 1 January 2004. In the event of it proving impossible to achieve this target by voluntary means, the Government was prepared to return to the issue and propose legislation. The Riksdag endorsed the Governments assessment. If it proved impossible to achieve the target of smoke-free eating and drinking establishments by voluntary means, the Riksdag assumed the Government would propose appropriate legislation.

Passive smoking

Tobacco smoke is not only hazardous for smokers. Much of the smoke from cigarettes is released into the air. This can have a serious impact on peoples health. In Sweden about 500 people die each year as a result of passive smoking. We have now learned more about the health implications of passive smoking. Each year about 1000 people suffer a heart attack as a result of passive smoking. Passive smoking is responsible for about 30-60 cases of lung cancer per year. However, a comparison with earlier studies shows that exposure to passive smoking has decreased substantially over the past decade. As knowledge about the harmful effects of tobacco has increased, the attitude of Swedes towards tobacco has changed. Today unlike ten years ago it is generally accepted that workplaces and public spaces should be smoke-free.

Employee health

Employees who work in smoky environments have poorer health. The risk of developing lung cancer is two to three times higher among people working in restaurants than among the rest of the population. Non-smokers who work in the hotel and restaurant business run a greater risk of suffering ill health than non-smokers in other occupations. Several studies have shown that women who are exposed to passive smoking during pregnancy run an increased risk of having a baby with a low birth weight. A low birth weight, in turn, increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome and other problems. This may force many young people to decide against working in the restaurant business for health reasons.

Increasing access

The proposal was intended to make restaurants and other eating and drinking establishments more accessible for people with allergies, asthma or sensitive respiratory tracts. The proposal is therefore well in line with the United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. It is also a step towards fulfilling the national targets for disability policy, in which one of the sub-goals is to create an accessible society.

Focus on young people

Young people often spend parts of their free time in café establishments, where many people smoke and smoking is socially accepted. Studies have shown that although information about the harmful effects of tobacco reaches young people, they may have difficulty taking it to heart and applying it in their everyday life. Almost all young people try smoking but a minority get stuck in the habit and begin to smoke regularly. It is therefore a matter of concern to the Government that young people have access to smoke-free environments, such as smoke-free cafés.