The impact of smoke-free hospitality venues in Norway

After sixteen years of exemptions from section six of the Act on the prevention of the harmful effects of tobacco, an amendment to this so-called ‘Tobacco Act’ introduced a smoke-free regime to all hospitality venues in Norway from 1 June 2004.1 The previous regulations regarding the provision of smoke-free areas within bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants were thereby superseded by an absolute ban on smoking indoors. The authorities’ most important reason for revoking these exemptions was to afford employees in the hospitality industry the same protection against passive smoking as other employees had enjoyed since section six of the Tobacco Act came into effect in 1988. Furthermore, hospitality venues, night clubs and the like were seen as an important recruitment arena for smoking among young people. Importance was also attached to the fact that numerous individuals with asthma and allergies could not make use of hospitality venues because of the problems they suffered as a result of the smoky atmosphere. Moreover, the hospitality industry was having difficulty complying with existing regulations on smoke-free areas. The Standing Committee on Health and Social Affairs in the Storting (Parliament) augmented by subsequent parliamentary debate, expressed a desire for an evaluation of the smoking ban. The ban had been controversial and there was doubt with regards to the economic consequences for the hospitality industry, as well as uncertainty associated with the general public’s compliance and satisfaction. The evaluation was to present results within three years and the Norwegian Institute for Alcohol and Drug Research (SIRUS) charged with its conduct. This would be linked to a broader evaluation of the State’s tobacco prevention work in Norway. Commercial impact on the hospitality industry According to the evaluation, value-added tax (VAT) collected from the hospitality industry (restaurants, pubs and bars) increased by 5% in the first sixteen months after the ban compared with same period prior to its introduction.2 In the restaurant segment of the industry, sales went up by 6%, while typical taverns such as bars and pubs, which have significantly lower sales than the restaurant industry, reported a small downturn of 1%. VAT registrations have seasonal variations, but there is a slight upward trend in taxes collected (Figure 1) in the period from 2003 to 2005. The impact of smoke-free hospitality venues in Norway