Overview
|
Smokefree States*
Arizona (2007)**
California (1998)
Colorado (2006)
Connecticut (2004)
Delaware (2002)
District of Columbia (2007)
Hawaii (2006)
Maine (2003)
Massachusetts (2004)
Montana (2009)**
New Jersey (2006)
New York (2003)
Ohio (2006)
Puerto Rico (2007)**
Rhode Island (2005)
Utah (2009)**
Vermont (2005)
Washington (2005)
*Smokefree States prohibit smoking in most workplaces, including all restaurants and bars
**Arizona and Puerto Rico’s law go into effect in 2007; Montana and Utah’s laws allow smoking in bars until 2009. |
|
|
Master Settlement Agreement:
In November 1998, 46 states and the tobacco industry settled the states' Medicaid lawsuits for recovery of their tobacco-related health care costs. The industry committed to pay the states approximately $206 billion over the next 25 years. Four states (Mississippi, Texas, Florida and Minnesota) settled their tobacco lawsuits separately for a total of $40 billion over 25 years. | |
2006 Highlights
2006 was an extraordinary year for smokefree air laws. Nine states—Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Hawaii, Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio and Utah, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico—approved legislation to significantly strengthen existing smokefree air laws. Sixteen states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have officially met the American Lung Association's Smokefree Air 2010 Challenge, by approving legislation to prohibit smoking in most public places and workplaces, including all restaurants and bars.ii
In 2006, a record 26 states and the District of Columbia received passing grades for smokefree air. Since the first American Lung Association State of Tobacco Control report was released five years ago, the most significant progress has been made in smokefree air policy. What started as comprehensive policy in only one state, California, has spread to states and communities throughout the country and around the world. Policymakers from Anchorage, AK to Houston, TX have heeded the Challenge and passed strong smokefree air laws.
Arkansas, Louisiana and Nevada significantly strengthened their smokefree air laws in 2006, but did not quite qualify for "smokefree" state status. New laws in Arkansas and Louisiana prohibit smoking in most public places and workplaces, including almost all restaurants. In Arkansas, restaurants and bars that do not allow persons under 21 to enter at any time, and non-public workplaces with fewer than three employees, may continue to allow smoking. In Louisiana, stand-alone bars and casinos, including establishments with video-poker machines, are exempt. Louisiana also repealed its partial state preemption, which will now allow local communities to pass local ordinances stronger than the statewide law. Nevada voters approved an initiative that will prohibit smoking in most public places and workplaces, including all restaurants. Stand-alone bars and casinos are exempt, and preemption of local smokefree air ordinances was repealed.
There also has been encouraging progress on smokefree air in traditional tobacco producing states. North Carolina, the largest tobacco producing state, passed a law in 2006 prohibiting smoking in all buildings occupied by the General Assembly. Tennessee passed a law prohibiting smoking in all stateowned buildings. Kentucky approved a new law allowing smoking to be prohibited in state-owned buildings and allowing local governments to prohibit smoking in locally owned government buildings.
Twenty-three states received an F in smokefree air. That still translates into millions of people still exposed to secondhand smoke in restaurants, workplaces and other public places. The American Lung Association believes that everyone has the right to breathe clean, smokefree air in all public places and workplaces.
Looking Ahead
The American Lung Association Smokefree Air 2010 Challenge calls on all states and communities to enact smokefree air laws that cover everyone. The momentum toward a smokefree society will continue as more states and communities adopt comprehensive smokefree air laws.
ii Laws in 13 states and the District of Columbia have taken full effect currently. Puerto Rico’s law will take effect in March 2007; Arizona’s on May 1, 2007; Utah’s will take full effect on January 1, 2009; and Montana’s will take full effect on October 1, 2009.
Overview continued... |
