The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says half of all states in the U.S. have smoke free work places, restaurants, and bars. If states continue to adopt smoke-free policies, all public places in 50 states could be smoke-free by 2020.
While smoke-free laws are common in many states, some policy makers aren’t willing to completely rule out smoking in public places. Some states have restricted smoking, but don’t ban it entirely. According to the report, seven states have no rules whatsoever prohibiting smoking. Those states are: Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
“Eliminating smoking from worksites, restaurants and bars is a low-cost, high-impact strategy that will protect nonsmokers and allow them to live healthier, longer, more productive lives while lowering health care costs associated with secondhand smoke,” said CDC Director Thomas Freiden. “While there has been a lot of progress over the past decade, far too many Americans continue to be exposed to secondhand smoke at their workplaces, increasing their risk of health problems.”
While the report commends states for taking these positive steps, it does point out that 88 million non-smokers are still exposed to second hand smoke each year. Secondhand smoke has been connected to a variety of health problems including heart disease and lung cancer.
Other findings from the report:
*Delaware was the first state to adopt anti-smoking laws in 2002. New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island followed.
*Wisconsin and South Dakota are the most recent states to pass laws against smoking. Wisconsin approved the law in July of 2010, and South Dakota passed their version in November of 2010.
*2009 was the biggest year for anti-smoking laws. Six states passed laws that year.
*To look at the full report on smoking across the U.S., check out the CDC website.
