Action for restaurants and bars required by the revised Health Promotion Act

Abstract

In April 2020, the Revised Health Promotion Act and the Tokyo Metropolitan Ordinance to Prevent Exposure to Second-Hand Smoke were enacted. In Japan, 50% of restaurants and bars, with over 80% of them in Tokyo, will be asked to forbid indoor smoking. It is criticized that the Act and Ordinance are not so strict as compared to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) of WHO, because those permitted to install smoking rooms inside in Japan.

About half of the member countries of the FCTC had the smoke-free legislation for restaurants and bars in December 2018. In many countries that started the smoke-free legislation for restaurants and bars before Japan, the compliance and acceptance by the general population were good. In Ireland, where smoke-free legislation was started in 2004, the compliance of restaurants and bars was 94% after six months. Irish people’s response to the legislation was big news in 2004. In Japan, according to the survey before the enforcement of the Act and Ordinance, over 70% of the general population experienced second-hand smoke at restaurants or bars, and desired to stop it. For the young generation, it was a hurdle to attend an official party at a smoking restaurant. Most of the general population welcomed the smoke-free legislation in Japan and other countries.

On the other hand, some restaurant and bar organizations opposed the legislation in Japan. According to a survey of restaurants and bars in Tokyo and Osaka, about half agreed to the legislation. Under such a situation, we summarized a “response” from restaurants and bars that had started non-smoking before the legislation. Positive aspects of non-smoking, ways to deal with smokers and new tobacco products are shown in the booklet to boost for restaurants and bars.

We have some issues such as compliance and outdoor smoking after the non-smoking legislation in Japan. In addition, the cost for the removal of smoking rooms should be considered, because the Act and Ordinance allowed their installation. At the moment, although it is a very difficult time for restaurants and bars due to COVID-19, I hope that many of them start a smoke-free environment in order to avoid severe pneumonia.