Coalition Stories

In 2005, the Georgia legislature passed an exemption-riddled smokefree law, excluding many workplaces and hospitality venues throughout the state from life-saving smokefree protections. The law, with all of its flaws, did one good thing – it established that local municipalities had the right to pass their own, stronger smokefree laws.

Just one year later, City of Savannah Mayor Otis Johnson, PhD suffered a heart attack, prompting him to focus his personal and civic attention on healthier lifestyles and environments. “I was given a second chance at life,” said Johnson.  “So, I dedicated myself to doing what I could to promote healthy living and to prevent a lot of preventable diseases in the Savannah community.”

In 2007, Mayor Johnson founded Healthy Savannah – an initiative designed to promote health and wellness for the City of Savannah. Members of the coalition attended ANR’s flagship training – Clearing the Air^® Institute – and returned to Savannah inspired and prepared to advocate for comprehensive smokefree protections in the city.

ANR, along with other public health partners teamed up with Healthy Savannah to form the Breatheasy Savannah Coalition in an effort to pass Georgia’s first comprehensive smokefree ordinance.

Opposition tactics included disinformation claiming that bars would lose business, tourism would decrease, and suggestions that Savannah’s LGBT population would face increased threats if required to step outside to light up.

As part of its awareness campaign, the coalition hosted smokefree bar nights to reassure bar owners and employees that smokefree bars and restaurants would be popular and good for business.

Town hall meetings featured overwhelming support for the ordinance, including testimonials from asthmatics, cancer survivors, and local individuals who had lost someone to chronic disease brought on by secondhand smoke.

In 2010, city leaders finally took a bold and historic step to protect the health of workers, residents, and visitors by passing the Savannah Smoke-free Air Act of 2010. In doing so, Savannah became the first municipality in Georgia to enact a comprehensive smokefree ordinance following the passage of the exemption-riddled Georgia Smokefree Air Act of 2005.  The Savannah ordinance closed several loopholes by eliminating exposure to toxic secondhand smoke in workplaces, restaurants, bars, and public spaces across the city.

At the time, the decision represented more than a local policy change—it marked the beginning of a new era for public health advocacy in Georgia. Savannah demonstrated that communities could go beyond the minimum protections provided by state law and adopt stronger, evidence-based policies that save lives. Soon afterward, Chatham County followed suit with a comprehensive ordinance to complement Savannah’s bold move — securing smokefree protections for the entire region.

Indoor air quality testing conducted before and after ordinance implementation showed a 94% improvement in air quality in Savannah and Chatham County bars.

Economic impact studies following the ordinance demonstrated that the smokefree policy had a neutral impact on tax revenue – providing that smokefree laws were good for health and good for business.

2026 marks the 15-year anniversary of the popular and proven Savannah Smoke-free Air Act. Despite its success, the ordinance is often challenged with threats from pro-smoking allies including hookah and cigar proponents with a desire to renormalize smoking under the smokescreen of culture and economy. ANR continues to support coalition efforts with best practices, lessons learned, and fierce advocacy support to protect Savannah’s strong smokefree ordinance against emerging threats from pro-smoking industry allies.

Breatheasy Savannah continues to inspire public health progress throughout Georgia—and its legacy serves as a reminder that strong local action can create healthier futures for generations to come.