Smokefree Progress
Across the U.S.In MichiganAround the World
Across the U.S.
- Green (38)
- Smokefree worksites, restaurants and/or bars
* Also Washington, D.C.
-
Red (12)
- In the process of becoming smokefree / No statewide action to ensure smokefree air
| State | Smokefree Status |
|---|---|
| Alabama | A smokefree air bill, SB130, was approved by the Senate Education Committee by an 8-2 vote on February 17, 2009. This bill would prohibit smoking in places of employment and public places. An identical bill, HB490, was introduced and referred to the House Government Operations Committee. No action has been taken on the House bill. |
| Alaska | No statewide smokefree activity. |
| Arizona | Arizona implemented its statewide smokefree air law on May 1, 2007. The regulation covers Arizona's indoor workplaces and public places, including restaurants and bars. |
| Arkansas | Governor Mike Huckabee signed into law a Clean Indoor Air Act which ensures that nearly all workplaces, including restaurants, are smokefree. |
| California | Most California worksites and restaurants went smokefree on January 1, 1995. Bars went smokefree on January 1, 1998. |
| Colorado | Colorado went smokefree in most worksites, restaurants and bars on July 1, 2006. All Colorado non-tribal casinos are 100% smokefree as of January 1, 2008. |
| Connecticut | On October 1, 2003, Connecticut became smokefree in most workplaces, including restaurants. A state law making bars smokefree went into effect on April 1, 2004. |
| Delaware | On November 27, 2002, Delaware went 100% smokefree in all public buildings and workplaces including bars, restaurants, and casinos. |
| Florida | The Florida State Constitution, as implemented by statute, ensures smokefree worksites, including restaurants as of July 1, 2003. |
| Georgia | Effective July 1, 2005, Georgia became smokefree in some public places including bars and restaurants that admit minors. |
| Hawaii | Hawaiian legislation ensures that all public places and places of employment, including restaurants, bars, bowling alleys, and nightclubs are smokefree. |
| Idaho | On July 1, 2004, Idaho passed legislation that ensures smokefree restaurants. |
| Illinois | The Smoke-Free Illinois Act took effect on January 1, 2008, making almost all indoor public places 100% smokefree, including bars, restaurants, casinos and private clubs. |
| Indiana | The Indiana legislative session has ended for the year without passing a smokefree air law. A clean smokefree air bill HB 1213 was introduced into the House this year. Unfortunately, while in committee the bill was weakened. The amended bill was successfully defeated. |
| Iowa | Iowa bars, restaurants and workplaces went smoke-free on July 1, 2008 |
| Kansas | HB 2221, the Kansas Clean Indoor Air Act is in the House/Senate Health Conference Committee. The Senate has approved the bill and the House needs to concur with the Senate action before HB 2221 goes to the Governor for her signature. |
| Kentucky | No statewide smokefree progress. |
| Louisiana | Louisiana's Clean Indoor Air Act went into effect January 1, 2007. This bill will ensure smokefree workplaces and restaurants. |
| Maine | Most worksites in Maine went smokefree on January 1, 1986. Restaurants and bars have been smokefree since January 1, 2004. |
| Maryland | Maryland's 100% smokefree law for all enclosed workplaces, including restaurants, bars, and private clubs, went into effect on February 1, 2008. |
| Massachusetts | On July 1, 2004, a statewide smokefree regulation went into effect in workplaces, including restaurants and bars. This came after many local communities became smokefree, such as Cambridge and Cape Cod. |
| Michigan | Michigan's smokefree air law will go into effect on May 1st, 2010. |
| Minnesota | On May 16, 2007, Minnesota’s Freedom to Breathe Act of 2007 was signed into law, ensuring Minnesota comprehensive smoke-free workplace protections. The new law went into effect on October 1, 2007, and covers most workplaces. |
| Mississippi | All smokefree legislation has died in the current legislative session. There was debate on the issue but unfortunately there was not enough support to pass a comprehensive smoke-free law this year. |
| Missouri | No statewide smokefree activity. |
| Montana | In October 2005, all restaurants became smokefree. Bars and casinos became smokefree on October 1, 2009. Other smokefree areas include, all businesses public and private, schools, nursing homes, arenas and public transportation. |
| Nebraska | Smokefree legislation was signed into law on February 26, 2008 by Governor Dave Heineman. All workplaces in Nebraska will be smokefree including bars and restaurants effective June 1st, 2009. |
| Nevada | The Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act went into effect on December 8, 2006. The smokefree law includes nearly all worksite and public places, including restaurants. Bars and casinos are exempt from the law. |
| New Hampshire | All New Hampshire restaurants and bars are 100% smokefree as of September 17, 2007. |
| New Jersey | New Jersey's Clean Indoor Air Act went into effect April 16, 2006 and requires all workplaces to be smokefree, except casino gambling floors. Efforts are currently underway to make all Atlantic City casinos smokefree. |
| New Mexico | The Dee Johnson Clean Indoor Air Act (HB283) was signed into law on March 13, 2007. This law prohibits smoking in any indoor workplace or indoor public place, including restaurants & bars, or in buses, taxicabs or other means of public transit. |
| New York | The state ensures smokefree regulations in most businesses, including restaurants, bars, bowling alleys, dance clubs and pool halls as of July 24, 2003. |
| North Carolina | The North Carolina legislature has passed a bill that will make all restaurants and bars smokefree. |
| North Dakota | All North Dakota workplaces, restaurants and bars are smokefree. |
| Ohio | The Ohio Smokefree Workplace Act became law on December 7th, 2006. Voters approved the smokefree ballot measure with 59% of the vote. A Tobacco Industry backed proposal was defeated by 64% of the voters. This law makes nearly all public places and workplaces smokefree including restaurants and bars. Some lawmakers want to change Ohio’s smoking law. Bills that have been introduced in Ohio’s Senate and House of Representatives would offer exemptions to family-owned businesses, outdoor patios and private clubs. |
| Oklahoma | No statewide smokefree activity. |
| Oregon | On June 26, 2007, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongowski signed a strong law for 100% smokefree workplaces, restaurants and bars, which will close the loopholes in Oregon's 2002 law, which currently includes numerous exceptions. Also, the new law will restore local control to allow all Oregon communities to enact their own smokefree laws. The new smokefree law goes into effect on January 1, 2009. |
| Pennsylvania | In June 2008, the Pennsylvania legislature approved a bill to ban smoking in virtually all public places and most work sites. |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island workplaces and restaurants went smokefree on March 1, 2005. On May 4, 2005 bars became smokefree. |
| South Carolina | No statewide smokefree activity. |
| South Dakota | All |
| Tennessee | As of October 1, 2007, many workplaces in Tennessee are smokefree. In June 2007, the Tennessee legislature enacted Senate Bill 1325. The law exempts workplaces with four or fewer employees and any restaurant or bar that chooses to prohibit people under age 21 at all times. |
| Texas | House Bill 5 introduced by State Representative Myra Crownover (R-Denton) has had a hearing but no vote in the House State Affairs Committee. Senate Bill 544 by Senator Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) has also had a hearing, but no vote yet by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. The two bills would provide statewide, comprehensive protections from secondhand smoke exposure in all indoor and public work places, including restaurants and bars. |
| Utah | The Governor of Utah signed into law an update to Utah's Clean Air Act. The update ensured smokefree worksites as of May 1, 2006 and bars as of January 1, 2009. Restaurants in Utah have been smokefree since January 1, 1995. |
| Vermont | Vermont became smokefree in bars and restaurants on September 1, 2005. Worksites in Vermont went smokefree on July 1, 1988. |
| Virginia | Starting Dec. 1, 2009 smoking will be restricted in most restaurants and bars, although it would be permitted in private clubs, on some outdoor patios and in separate ventilated rooms. |
| Washington | Washington voted to become entirely smokefree, including restaurants, bars and casinos on November 8, 2005. |
| Washinton, D.C. | Washington, D.C.'s smokefree air ordinance took effect on January 1, 2007. The law creates smokefree environments in almost all public places and workplaces including restaurants and bars. |
| West Virginia | No statewide smokefree activity. |
| Wisconsin | Worksites, bars and restaurants in Wisconsin will become smokefree on July 5, 2010. |
| Wyoming | On January 30, 2009, the Wyoming House of Representatives amended House Bill 31 to create loopholes and not protect all workers from secondhand smoke. The legislation ultimately died. |
In Michigan
Many counties in Michigan have already taken a step in the right direction for smokefree air. The following cities and counties have adopted smokefree worksites and public places regulations:
| County/Locality | Population |
|---|---|
| Alger County | 9,862 |
| Antrim County | 23,110 |
| Benzie County | 15,998 |
| Berrien County | 162,453 |
| Calhoun County | 137,985 |
| Charlevoix County | 26,090 |
| Chippewa County (including Sault Ste. Marie) | 38,543 |
City of Detroit |
911,402 |
| City of Grand Rapids | 195,601 |
| Traverse City | 14,532 |
| Emmet County | 31,437 |
| Genesee County (including Flint) | 436,141 |
| Gogebic County | 17,370 |
| Houghton County | 36,016 |
| Ingham County (including Lansing) | 279,320 |
| Lenawee County | 98,890 |
| Mackinac County | 11,943 |
Marquette County |
64,634 |
Midland County |
82,874 |
| Muskegon County | 170,200 |
| Otsego County | 23,301 |
| Ottawa County | 238,314 |
| Saginaw County | 210,039 |
| Schoolcraft County | 8,903 |
| St. Clair County | 164,235 |
| Washtenaw County (including Ann Arbor) | 322,895 |
| Wayne County (not including Detroit) | 1,104,800 |
Around the World
On March 2004, Ireland became the first country in Europe to create smokefree environments in workplaces, restaurants and bars which set the tone for many other countries to follow. A detailed timeline is listed below.
| 2004 | |
|---|---|
| March | Ireland implemented a nationwide smokefree workplace law, including pubs, bars and restaurants. Polls show high rates of acceptance and compliance. Uganda creates smokefree environments in all enclosed public places. |
| April | Malta created legislation to create smokefree public places. |
| May | India ensures smokefree public places and advertising in media, as well as prohibits sales to minors, after statistics showed smoking killed 2,200 people in India per day. |
| June | Norway extended smokefree workplace legislation to bars and restaurants. |
| November | Scotland announced plans to implement smokefree workplace legislation in all enclosed public spaces by early 2006. The British government announced plans for smokefree workplace legislation across England and Wales starting in 2006. Russia's upper house of parliament approved a bill to create smokefree public places. The bill covers public transport and the workplace, and prevents the sale of tobacco in health and sports venues, cultural centers, and near schools. |
| December | New Zealand extends smokefree workplace legislation to pubs, clubs, restaurants and school grounds. The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan created smokefree public places, including restaurants and bars. |
| 2005 | |
| January | Italy implemented smokefree workplace legislation in all enclosed public spaces, including restaurants and bars. Vietnam created smokefree environments in government buildings and public buildings, including stations and ports on public transportation routes. |
| February | Cuba ensures smokefree theaters, shops, buses, taxis and other enclosed public areas. |
| March | Parliament in Bangladesh passed smokefree workplace law in places such as schools, offices, libraries, hospitals and airports. It also prohibits advertisement of tobacco products in cinemas, newspapers and on television. |
| April | Afghanistan's western Heart province
ensures smokefree government
buildings, becoming the first region in the
country to take such action. Armenia ensures smokefree environments in hospitals, cultural and education institutions and public transportation. Australia, created smokefree Commonwealth workplaces, aircraft, airports, interstate trains and federally registered motor coaches. Businesses in Belgium are given the right to require their employees to work longer if they stop for smoking breaks during the working day. China announced that all venues shall be smokefree at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. |
| June | Sweden implemented smokefree workplace legislation in all workplaces, including restaurants and bars. |
| December | Spain passed a smokefree workplace law which includes public transportation, theaters, bars and resaurants. |
| 2006 | |
| January | Bermuda became smokefree on April 1, 2006. The smokefree legislation covers all Bermuda workplaces, restaurants and bars. |
| March | Uruguay became smokefree on March 1, 2006. The legislation created smokefree environments in all enclosed public places, from bars and restaurants to office buildings and shopping malls. Puerto Rico's smokefreee law includes enclosed public spaces, including restaurants, bars and the island's nearly two dozen casinos. It also forbids smoking in private cars with children under 13 inside. Scotland passed legislation to create smokefree public places on March 26, 2006. |
| October | France implemented smokefree regulation that took effect in February, 2007. The law covers all workplaces, including bars and restaurants which are required to go smokefree by January, 2008. |
| November | British Virgin Islands approved a smokefree regulation November 15th which covers all enclosed public places, including bars and restaurants, or within 50 feet of a door or window to such a space. |
2007 |
|
| January | Belgium has had smokefree restaurants since January 1, 2007. Belgium also has a clean indoor air law which regulates smoking in all enclosed workplaces. Hong Kong now prohibits smoking in all indoor workplaces, as well as restaurants, parks and beaches. However, bars, nightclubs and mahjong parlors are exempt until 2009. Lithuania has clean indoor air in bars, restaurants, cafes, clubs and discotheques. Smoking in other public places will be prohibited beginning January 1, 2008. |
| April | Wales becomes the second country in the United Kingdom to ban smoking in enclosed public spaces. |
| May | In Portugal , Parliament approves a law banning smoking in almost all indoor public places. In Dubai, smokefree government buildings, schools and colleges is the first step in a plan to curb smoking throughout the Gulf Arab trade and tourism hub by the end of 2009 |
| June | Finland & Iceland both prohibit smoking in restaurants, cafes and bars. Estonia enacts clean indoor air in bars, restaurants, coffeeshops and nightclubs. |
| July | In England all workplaces including restaurants and bars went smokefree on July 1, 2007. In Australia, smokefree laws covering pubs and clubs takes effect in the two most populous states, New South Wales and Victoria. |
| August | Denmark made all public buildings and private businesses, including restaurants and bars, smokefree as of August 15, 2007. Beginning January 1, 2008 the Netherlands will adopt smokefree laws in all public places and Hungary will follow the trend in 2009. |
2008 |
|
|---|---|
| January | A smokefree law in Turkey was approved by the country's parliament on January 3, 2008. The law covers all enclosed public places, including restaurants, bars and public transportation. The law will be implemented 18 months after President Abdullah Gul signs it into law. |
| February | Mexico voted to prohibit smoking in bars, restaurants and other enclosed public spaces . |
| April | Beijing will prohibit smoking in most public places starting May 1. |
2009 |
|
| August | A smokefree law in Laos was soon prohibit smoking in restaurants and public buildings |