ANR UPDATE, 25(4), Winter 2006
NEWSFLASH! On November 7, 2006 three statewide initiatives passed bringing strong smokefree air laws to the people of Ohio, Arizona and Nevada. In Ohio, voters voted down a tobacco industry supported measure in favor of a 100% smokefree workplace law, including all restaurants and bars (effective December 7, 2006). In Arizona, voters also trounced a weak version of a state law, and passed a strong law to make workplaces, restaurants and bars 100% smokefree as well (effective May 1, 2007). Nevada voters joined the club, passing a state smokefree workplace initiative that includes to make most indoor work sites smokefree (effective December 8, 2006). The Nevada law exempts freestanding bars and casino floors, but it also reverses their outdated preemption restriction to allow local communities to strengthen smokefree regulations at the local level.
The smokefree movement continues to grow at a rapid pace. Between July and October 2006, 46 new smokefree ordinances were passed in 18 states, two of which previously did not have any local smokefree laws on the books (Pennsylvania and South Carolina). Presently, 45.7% of the U.S. population is protected by one of the 519 local or 18 state smokefree laws in effect. We could see that jump to 50% by the end of the year depending on activity at the local level and the outcome of three smokefree initiatives on the November ballot.
The race for ANR's 2006 Smokefree Air Challenge Award is very
exciting, and is illustrative of how the movement has taken off in Mid-Western
states. These awards recognize the three states that pass the most new smokefree
laws in a calendar year. It is too early to select the winner for 2006 yet,
but our current front runners are Illinois and Indiana. Many thanks
to ANR members and public health advocates for your support of smokefree laws.
Together, we are making a difference!
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