Thirty years after it began as just another quirky movement in Berkeley, California, the push to ban smoking in restaurants, bars and other public places has reached a national milestone.For the first time in the nation’s history, more than half of Americans live in a city or state with laws mandating that workplaces, restaurants or bars be smoke-free, according to Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights.“The movement for smoke-free air has gone from being a California oddity to the nationwide norm,” said Bronson Frick, the group’s associate director. “We think 100 per cent of Americans will live in smoke-free jurisdictions within a few years.”Seven states and 116 communities enacted tough smoke-free laws last year, bringing the total number to 22 states and 577 municipalities, according to the group. Nevada’s ban, which went into effect Dec 8, increased the total US population covered by any type of smokefree law to 50.2 per cent.Smoking bans have become more popular globally, with laws in place in countries such as Ireland, Italy and Spain.Last year was the most successful for anti-smoking advocates in the US, said Frick. In a sign of the changing climate, new House Speaker Nancy Pelosi banned smoking in the Speaker’s Lobby just off the House floor this month, and the District of Columbia recently barred it in public areas. -MARTIN GRIFFITH
