Congratulations First Place winner–Texas! In 2017, 28 more Texas cities enacted or strengthened strong smokefree indoor air laws. This brings the Texas total to more than 85 cities with strong smokefree indoor air protections.
Smokefree Indoor Air Challenge awards and e-cigarette awards were announced and presented at the Clearing the Air Institute in Branson, Missouri, May 2, 2018. The data used to determine the winner are compiled and analyzed using the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation’s U.S. Tobacco Control Laws Database©. Awards for most new laws making Workplaces, Restaurants, and Bars 100% smokefree passed in 2017:
- First Place: Texas (28)
- Second Place: Mississippi (12)
- Third Place: Louisiana (5)
Award for states for passing the most smokefree laws to specifically prohibit the use of electronic smoking devices inside smokefree venues:
- First Place: Texas (29)
- Second Place: Mississippi (12)
- Third Place: Massachusetts (6)
In addition to presenting these awards, the ANR Foundation welcomed attendees of the Institute to discuss how to close gaps in smokefree protections and improve heath equity across the nation. There were many attendees from places without strong smokefree laws and from places that need to close gaps for casino workers.
President and CEO of the ANR Foundation, Cynthia Hallett, closed with these remarks: “You represent the leadership for tobacco control and smokefree air for your states and your Tribes, and we deputize you to take the things you’ve learned, ideas you’ve found, back to your coalitions, your colleagues within your departments, and to your state partners so we can keep this movement going. This work is challenging, but we can accomplish smokefree air and better health for all if we work together!”
