Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by coronavirus, including front-line healthcare workers, and workers in the hospitality and entertainment industries who may still be required to work and are generally the least likely to have access to paid sick leave, healthcare coverage, and are still working in smoke-filled environments. Just as social distancing and hand washing help prevent the spread of disease, eliminating secondhand smoke is critical to prevent acute and chronic diseases, and saves lives by reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, respiratory diseases, and lung cancer by up to 30% at a population-wide level.
It is important to continue our smokefree efforts, and to recognize the hard work of the cities and counties enacting smokefree protections. The ANR Foundation announces our most recent quarterly update to the lists and maps of U.S. municipalities and states with smokefree laws now in effect. Congratulations to all the communities with new strong smokefree laws in effect, from Winfield, IN, and Natchez, LA, to Litchfield, MN. See all of our updated lists here on our website.
The ANR Foundation has a bibliography of over 500 studies, reports, and articles that utilize data from the U.S. Tobacco Control Laws Database©, which you can see here. Interested in a data run? Contact Maggie Hopkins to discuss the many options of standardized reports we have available, as well as the special multi-variate analyses that we can run based on your research and policy surveillance data needs.
Did you expect your new law to be included, but don’t see it on our lists? That is either because the law is not yet in effect, or because the law didn’t meet the smokefree list criteria for enclosed non-hospitality workplaces, restaurants, bars, and/or gambling venues to be 100% smokefree without exemptions. Some laws have been enacted so recently that our Policy Surveillance Team has not yet had a chance to order, analyze, and enter them into our Tobacco Control Laws Database. Other laws, in spite of all of our searching, fly under our radar. We very much want these laws, so please contact us to check about any law you think we may be missing. Still have questions? Please contact Laura Walpert.
The lists are updated on a quarterly basis. The next quarterly update will be in July 2020.
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Remember to check out the Foundation website for smokefree materials and resources, or visit the ANR site for updated smokefree laws and campaign information.
Contact Maggie Hopkins, Director of Data Management and Analysis, if you have questions about our lists and maps.
The tobacco industry never gives up in its attempts to undermine or roll back strong smokefree protections. We continue to see attempts from the industry to preempt local progress. Be aware, and contact us if you have any questions or see suspicious language in local or statewide legislation. And speaking of preemption, West Virginia for the win! Read our blog post here about the 2020 West Virginia legislative session including the valiant efforts of public health advocates successfully stopping an avalanche of more than 50 preemption bills that would have undermined local action on tobacco control and a wide range of other policy issues.
Stay safe and healthy.
