A study of air quality at a few Bowling Green restaurants, bars and entertainment venues shows that patrons are exposed to unhealthy amounts of secondhand smoke.

The findings of the Bowling Green Indoor Air Quality Study, conducted by the University of Kentucky College of Nursing and the College of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health were revealed today at the Barren River District Health Department and showed that patrons are exposed to air pollution levels 4.7 times the National Ambient Air Quality Standard as determined by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

Research by the university was conducted with assistance from the American Cancer Society and the district health department.

The researchers used an aerosol monitor to measure air quality between Jan. 31 and Feb. 3 in six restaurants, three bars and two entertainment venues, with each visit averaging 64 minutes during various times of each day.

None of the venues are identified in the report.

Levels of particulate matter, an air pollutant that adversely affects people’s health and can be produced by cigarette smoke among other causes, were found to exceed the federal standard in nine of the 11 locations.

The federal standard, which applies to outdoor air quality, is 35 micrograms per cubic meter (the EPA has no indoor air quality standard).

Among the places surveyed, the average amount of air pollution totaled 166 micrograms of particulate matter per cubic meter, with an average of 5.2 burning cigarettes at a given time. One bar registered a total of 613 micrograms per cubic meter, the highest amount of air pollution among the venues surveyed.

“The levels of particulate matter were extremely, dangerously high,” said Ellen Hahn, a UK professor and director of the Kentucky Center for Smoke-Free Policy. “Your venues are exposing workers and the patrons who go there to dangerous levels of secondhand smoke.”

Bowling Green’s air pollution results were then compared in the study to similar findings in establishments in Lexington and Louisville, which have both recently adopted smoking bans.

While the level of air pollution in the Bowling Green registers below that of Lexington and Louisville prior to the enactment of their bans, the study shows that air pollution in Lexington and Louisville decreased drastically after the bans went into effect.

Indoor air pollution in Bowling Green was measured 9.2 times higher than Lexington after its smoke-free law went into effect and 18 times higher than after Louisville’s ban.

When researchers returned to measure air quality at restaurants and bars several months after smoking bans were implemented, levels of indoor air pollution dropped in Lexington from 199 to 18 micrograms per cubic meter and from 304 to 9 micrograms per cubic meter in Louisville.

“Partial smoke-free laws do not protect workers and patrons from harmful indoor air pollution,” the report states. “However, when smoking is completely prohibited as with Louisville’s comprehensive smoke-free ordinance, air quality is significantly improved.”

Bowling Green enacted a smoking ban in its outdoor parks earlier this year, but a measure to ban smoking in restaurants was voted down last year by the Bowling Green City Commission.

Hahn said public opinion favors the smoking bans in the communities in Kentucky that are under such laws, and that her research showed support increasing for ordinances regulating smoking.

“We have to remember that the majority of people don’t smoke in Kentucky, though we do have a high percentage of smokers in the state,” Hahn said.

Hahn said numerous scientific studies of communities that have enacted anti-smoking ordinances show no adverse economic effect on the restaurants and bars that often come under the laws.

Mayor Elaine Walker and Commissioner Brian “Slim” Nash have expressed support for an indoor smoking ban in the past.

John Bonaguro, dean of Western Kentucky University’s College of Health and Human Services, said that it would be up to the voting public to voice their desire for a law and elect officials of like minds.

“I think it’s time that voters get out and state their opinions about a healthy Bowling Green,” Bonaguro said.