Law in Practice: Obstacles to a Smokefree Workplace Policy in Bars Serving Asian Patrons

The California smokefree workplace ordinance (AB13) has been well-received, even in bars where deeply established traditions of smoking may exist. However, a closer investigation of bars where indoor smoking persists revealed that bar workers in some ethnic minority communities continue to be exposed to secondhand smoke in their workplaces. To identify sociocultural factors that may impede the adoption of AB13, the researchers conducted 150 observations and 29 patron and staff interviews in 50 California bars serving Asian patrons in Los Angeles and San Francisco counties. Observers witnessed indoor smoking in 82% of the bars. Interviews revealed that social relationships, social interactions, and a tendency to avoid confrontation complicated the positive reception of AB13 within these bars. Accounting for sociocultural factors provides a nuanced understanding of the challenges involved in implementing tobacco control policy in such diverse settings and may allow for culturally appropriate tobacco policy development and implementation in other jurisdictions.