NY Heart Attacks Drop 8% Due to Smoke-free Air!

Yet another study has proved smoke-free indoor environments improve the health of non-smokers. This month, the American Journal of Public Health released their findings that hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction (aka heart attacks) dropped 8% since enactment of a comprehensive 100% smoke-free workplace law that includes restaurants and bars in 2003. This represents health care savings up to $56 million!

The New York study is preceded by several others that conclude comprehensive smoke-free policy helps hearts keep ticking. Scotland saw a 17% reduction in heart attacks after a year of smoke-free workplaces, Pueblo, Colorado's rates dropped 27%, and Helena, Montana's heart attack rates fell a whopping 40% following their 100% smoke-free ordinance!The authors of the New York study explain that the decrease may have been smaller than other studies because many areas of New York already had smoke-free indoor air policies before the state-wide law filled in the gaps. All these studies noticed a drop in non-smokers' heart attacks, while the smokers' numbers remained the same.

I find these studies very interesting because heart problems run in my family. I'm so glad that my sister, who lives in New York, is safer because of that state's comprehensive smoke-free policy. Now IT'S TIME to protect non-smokers all across Wisconsin!