Second Hand Smoke

Research

Heart attacks decline in Pueblo, CO after smoking ban
Researchers report that smoking bans in Pueblo, Colorado have been correlated with a 27 percent drop in hospital heart attack admissions. This observation was made 18 months after bans on indoor workplaces and all public buildings, including restaurants, bars and recreational facilities, took effect. Heart attack admissions did not change significantly in two nearby comparison cities. Click here for the article, and here find out more from the American Heart Association.

Smoking ban reduces heart risk
An analysis of hospital records of the Piedmont region in Italy revealed that heart attack admissions have fallen by 11% compared with the same period last year. Italy’s 2005 ban on smoking in all indoor public places and the subsequent drop in passive smoking exposure is thought to be the cause. Click here for more information.

Second hand smoke linked to long-term harm
A new longitudinal study adds to the mounting evidence of the adverse health effects of second hand smoke. Over 4,200 adult non-smokers were followed for nine years, and results showed “an increased likeliness of developing respiratory symptoms in subjects exposed to passive smoking during the study period.” Passive smokers had a significant increase in risk of wheezing, breathlessness, couching, and chest tightness compared to unexposed individuals. For more information, click here.

JAMA study finds Scotland's smoke-free law quickly improved bar workers' health, shows why all workplaces should be smoke-free
New evidence shows that there are almost immediate positive health effects of workplace smoking bans. A recently released study of Scottish bartenders in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed significant improvements in respiratory health and lung function within one month of the country’s workplace law. The study measured the bartenders’ respiratory health, including couching, wheezing and shortness of breath, and sensory irritation, before and after the ban, showing an overall reduction of 26 percent. The study is being cited as evidence for comprehensive smoke free laws. Click here to view the abstract. Access related press releases by clicking here and here.

Actuaries: Cost of nonsmokers’ exposure to second hand smoke nearly $6 billion a year
A new report revealed that the effects of second hand smoke in the United States totaled nearly $6 billion in medical and economic costs in 2004. The report, released by the American Academy of Actuaries, is meant to inform policy makers of both the number of people suffering from second hand smoke exposure as well as the costs involved. For the news release, click here.

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Air Quality: Indoor air pollution decreased by 88% in bars and restaurants
The results of air quality tests released by the American Lung Association of Washington showed an 88 percent decrease in air pollution in bars and restaurants following the state’s implementation of its expanded Clean Indoor Air Law. The test was carried out by taking air samples before and after the ban in 35 bars and restaurants across the state using aerosol monitors to measure fine particles in the air. Click here to read the press release by the American Lung Association of Washington.

Air quality five-times worse where smoking allowed
A study released by Mecklenburg County in North Carolina revealed that the air quality in nonsmoking sections of restaurants and bars is, on average, five times worse than in smoke-free locations. The study measured particles in the air in 32 places in the county. County commissioners voted to ask the state legislature for permission to consider a smoking ban; the same request was denied by state lawmakers last year. Currently, North Carolina law prohibits local bans on smoking. To read the news release click here.

Global Indoor Air Quality Study
A new global air quality study shows that indoor air pollution is 89 percent lower in places that are smoke-free compared to those where smoking is allowed. View the study by clicking here

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Smoke-filled cars: New fodder for the clean air fight
Passenger cars have the potential to yield unsafe levels of second hand smoke contaminants, reported a new study in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine. The study measured respirable suspended particles and carbon monoxide levels during forty-five driving trials with smokers recruited from the community. This study provides evidence that children may be exposed to hazardous pollution levels while in a vehicle with a smoker. Click here to access the full article text and here for a news release on the topic.

Observed smoking in cars: A method and differences by socioeconomic area
An article in the October 2006 issue of Tobacco Control suggests that smoking in cars occurs at a higher rate in relatively deprived populations. Click here to view the abstract

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Illinois:

Group pushes to alter smoking ban
Illinois Licensed Beverage Association (ILBA) announced its push to overturn parts of Springfield, Illinois’ new indoor smoking ban. The Association claims that the revenue of some Springfield bars and clubs has dropped as much as 70 percent as a result of the ban. Steve Riedl, executive director of the ILBA plans to have the first reading of an ordinance that would exempt bars and fraternal organizations form the indoor ban on November 8th. To read more, click here.

Kansas:

City approves smoking law
Restaurants and bars in Parsons, Kansas should be smoke-free after November following a 3-0 decision by the city commission to ban smoking in most public places during the day. After weeks of discussion, commissioners voted on an ordinance that will make it a crime to smoke in restaurants, bars, convenience stores and grocery stores among other places between the hours of 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. The ordinance takes effect Nov. 1. Click here to learn more.

Kentucky:

Council approves new smoking ban
After three years of trying, Louisville, Kentucky, the largest city of one of the nation's top tobacco-producing states, has approved a smoking ban in almost all public buildings. The only exceptions are Churchill Downs and tobacco manufacturing and warehouse facilities. The ban, passed by the Council with nearly a 4-1 margin, will take effect in July 2007. Amy Barkley, the Tobacco States Director for the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, applauded the Council’s leadership and congratulated the city, stating that the evidence for the health effects of second hand smoke can no longer be ignored. For the news release, click here. To view the statement issued by Amy Barkley, click here.

Missouri:

Smoking ban arrives at hospitals, clinics
Employees, patients, and visitors are no longer allowed to use any tobacco product at any hospital or clinic in Missouri. This measure is considered a state health regulation, as opposed to a law, and will rely on enforcement through a peer pressure approach from hospital staffers. Click here for the news release.

City snuffs public smoking
Columbia, Missouri will become smoke-free on January 9, 2007. The ban includes virtually all workplaces, including restaurants and bars, as well as other areas served by the public. The measure is an amended version of an existing city law which bans smoking in city-owed buildings. The decision was reached after a public hearing that lasted almost four hours. The news release can be found here.

Nebraska:

Omaha smoking ban takes effect
Omaha, Nebraska’s partial smoking ban took effect in October after months of argument and legal action. The ban has notable exceptions until 2011, including Horemen’s Park racetrack and keno outlets that do not serve food. For the news release, click here.

Pennsylvania:

Onorato signs smoking ban
Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato signed a bill to ban smoking in all public workplaces that is set to take effect January 2, 2007. In addition, Onorato introduced five amendments to the County Council, including the removal of restrictions within 15 feet of building entrances. The amendments are currently under debate. For more information, click here.

Philadelphia Mayor Signs Smoking Ban
Philadelphia Mayor John Street signed a citywide smoking ban September 13, 2006 that forbids smoking in most public places, including many bars and restaurants. Philadelphia now joins New York and neighboring New Jersey and Delaware in issuing smoking bans. People violating the new ban could face a Department of Health fine between $25 and $300. To learn more, click here.

Bar owners ask: Is this thing on?
The citywide smoking ban in Philadelphia signed into law by mayor John Street has been a source of great uncertainty. Initially stating that the law would take effect within a few weeks, the mayor abruptly decided to begin enforcing the law immediately. Business owners and residents have been left in a state of confusion. For the news release, click here.

Texas:

City council expands indoor smoking ban to most bars
After a delay in voting, the Houston City Council approved an extension of the city’s indoor smoking ban to include bars. The extension, proposed by Mayor Bill White, was one that the council members were divided on. The ban provides for few exceptions and is scheduled to go into effect September 2007. Click here for the article and here for a press release from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

West Virginia:

Residents react to new smoking restrictions
The Putnam County Board of Health voted to ban smoking in all public places. This ban goes beyond what other West Virginia counties have enacted in that it includes prohibiting smoking in bars. The ban is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2007. More information can be found here.

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NCI announces new smoke-free meeting policy to address major public health hazard
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) announced a new policy requiring that all meetings and conferences they sponsor be held in a state, country, city, or town with a comprehensive smoke-free policy. NCI has developed a Web site to support smoke-free meeting planning and can be found here. The site offers tools to help locate smoke-free venues, monitor implementation of smoke-free policy, respond to inquiries, and document exception to the policy. To read more in the press release, click here.

NIDA Announces Smoke-Free Meeting Policy
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, announced it would enact a new policy requiring that all meetings and conferences organized or primarily sponsored by NIDA be held in a state or municipality that has adopted a comprehensive smoke-free policy, unless specific circumstances justify an exemption. NIDA’s policy follows a similar announcement by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) based on extensive scientific data concerning the dangers of secondhand smoke. Click here to learn more.

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France:

French public spaces among the world’s smokiest
New research has shown that France’s public spaces are among the worst in the world. Forty-two percent of French public spaces, including bars, restaurants, train stations, airports, and hospitals, had air quality rankings of “dangerous” as a result of high smoke concentrations. This report came in the midst of government considerations to ban smoking in all public places. A parliamentary committee recommended a ban on smoking in public areas starting next year and the government has acted quickly on the advice. A smoke free workplace law will begin next February, while cafes, nightclubs, and restaurants will be given until 2008 to comply. More information about the study can be found here.

Hong Kong:

Smoking ban set for start
Legislators in Hong Kong have passed the controversial anti-smoking bill after a nine-hour debate. The bill, scheduled to take effect in early 2007, bans smoking in all indoor workplace, restaurants, and selected outdoor areas including parks and beaches. Certain locations, including mahjong parlors and nightclubs, will be exempt until 2009. For the news story, click here.

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Updated Office of Smoking Health (OSH) Resources

• To access the Smoking &Health Resource Library, click here.
• To access the Involuntary Smoking SGR Database, click here.
• To access the Health Consequences of Smoking Database, click here.
• To access the Employer Action Steps webpage, designed to help businesses develop and implement smoke-free workplaces, click here.

New Smoke-Free Laws Lists and Maps
The ANR Foundation has released its quarterly update to the lists and maps of U.S. municipalities and states with 100% smokefree laws now in effect that can be accessed by clicking here.

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