The ANR Foundation is pleased to announce our most recent quarterly update to the lists and maps of U.S. municipalities and states with smokefree laws now in effect. Special Congratulations to Navajo Nation for passing the Niłch’í Éí Bee ĺíńá – Air is Life Act! After 13 years of advocacy, Navajo Nation is 100% commercial tobacco-free as of February 5, 2022. This historic health policy promotes Navajo fundamental traditional views on health and wellness as it protects Diné (Navajo people), especially the elders, children, and the unborn, from the dangers of commercial tobacco products. Navajo Nation has by far the largest land mass of any Native American tribe in the U.S. and the largest enrolled population.
Congratulations to North Dakota, which will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their smokefree restaurants, bars, and gaming law (which joined their already smokefree workplaces law) in December. And congratulations to ANRF’s hometown of Berkeley, with a 25th anniversary of its smokefree workplace, restaurant, and bar law! Also celebrating anniversaries of WRB laws are El Paso, TX; with 20 years, Independence, MO, with 15; Alexandria, LA, with 10; and Roxie, MS, (population 589), with 5 years, to name just a few. See these and all of the other laws we track on our updated lists here on our website.
We are also celebrating the addition of many campuses to our 100% smokefree and tobacco-free colleges list. Among them are Wesleyan University in Connecticut, the Dallas College system in Texas, Davis & Elkins College in West Virginia, Skyline College in California, and more!
It is critical that we continue our smokefree efforts to close health equity gaps and protect public health. Eliminating secondhand smoke is critical to mitigate the spread of respiratory droplets reducing spread of diseases like COVID-19 as well as preventing acute and chronic disease. When secondhand smoke is eliminated, it saves lives by reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, respiratory diseases, and lung cancer by up to 30% at a population-wide level. The best way to ensure protection from secondhand smoke is 100% smokefree laws as reflected in these lists and maps. The tobacco industry continues to threaten progress made by attempting to weaken smokefree laws with exemptions for cigar bars and preventing local communities from taking further action. In addition, on-site adult cannabis use threatens the integrity of smokefree laws. Utilizing the ANR model ordinance ensures your policy will provide maximum protections and of course, land on our list.
As a reminder, ANR Foundation’s new Smokefree Casino and Gaming Property Directory replaces our previously published List of Smokefree Gambling Facilities. The interactive directory can be sorted by state, Tribe, and company and includes a map for each state. We continue to be impressed with the leadership shown by Tribes and Tribal Casinos in requiring their facilities to be smokefree. You can find the directory by state here, with an overview map here.
As with many of our meetings and trainings, Clearing the Air Institute has gone virtual. While we lose some of the benefits of being together in person, such as building trust with new and long-standing partners, going virtual means that more people can participate. We have nearly 500 registrants who can attend the webinars each month and/or watch recordings of each session at their convenience, thereby building a larger group of smokefree experts and advocates. Together we are stronger! Visit clearingtheairinstitute.com/ for more details.
The ANR Foundation has a bibliography of over 600 studies, reports, and articles that utilize data from the U.S. Tobacco Control Laws Database©, whichyou 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 April 2022.
We are here to help with your tobacco control work. Did you know our information specialists compile a daily email with breaking tobacco control related news and a weekly research citations email?
To receive our daily news subscribe here. With your subscription we provide technical assistance and many resources. We rely on subscriber support to continue this work. See a short video about our policy surveillance here.
Sign up for ANR’s free monthly e-bulletin to see a curated roundup of resources and news related to tobacco control.
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.
We hope you are staying safe and healthy!