Fact or Fiction 2

No ventilation system can adequately protect non-smokers from exposure to secondhand smoke.

Many studies have, in fact, proved quite the opposite. One such study (The Black Dog Study), conducted by the Chemical and Analytical Sciences Division of Oak Ridges National Laboratory (Tennessee) in conjunction with Finn Projects (Toronto), should be of special interest to Canadians. They conducted a study in 2001 which compared the air quality in a restaurant/bar with both a smoking and non-smoking section against the air quality of several completely smoke free establishments.

The report concluded that: “Although limited in size, this study clearly shows that a suitably designed ventilation system installed in a restaurant/bar with both smoking and non-smoking sections can produce ETS levels in the non-smoking section that are not statistically different from those found in venues where smoking is prohibited.”

Recommended Reading:
The Black Dog Study
Air quality testing