SHANGHAI: A majority of restaurant customers and workers support the establishment of no smoking areas, according to a survey.

The study, conducted by the Shanghai Patriotic Health Campaign Committee and Fudan University's Public Health College, covered 33 restaurants.

More than 82 percent of the 284 customers surveyed, said they hoped restaurants would ban smoking or set up no smoking areas.

Of 242 waiters and waitresses surveyed, 75 percent said they would be in favor of control policies.

Zheng Pinpin, a member of the survey team, said most restaurant workers complained of being subjected to secondhand smoke.

The survey showed more than 90 percent suffered from passive smoke during work.

"More than 60 percent of the workers received complaints from customers about passive smoke, but very few said they would stop customers from smoking," Zhang said.

About 70 percent of restaurant owners and managers said they would support smoke control policies, and 6.5 percent would not.

However, several managers said business could be affected if customers were not allowed to smoke.

Li Guangyao, division chief of Shanghai Patriotic Health Campaign Committee, said: "The main reason we conducted the survey was to dispel mangers' fears of losing customers due to no smoking campaigns."

He said some restaurant customers who smoked, supported a ban on smoking in public places.

A member of the Shanghai Food and Beverage Association who identified himself as a Mr Wang, said: "It is a universal trend to set up no smoking areas in public places. However, it will take a long time for restaurants to do so."

He said big restaurants and bars have the space to establish no smoking areas, but not the smaller ones.

Of the restaurants surveyed, only two ban smoking and eight have no smoking areas.

Hu Wei, owner of a small restaurant on East Nanjing Road, said: "I was smoker but after my wife got pregnant, I quit.

"I think setting up no smoking areas is a good thing, especially for pregnant women and children."

The Shanghai Patriotic Health Campaign Committee said it will launch a campaign to encourage restaurants and bars, especially along East Nanjing Road, to set up no smoking areas or ban smoking.

(China Daily 06/01/2007 page4)