October 2, 2012

Smoke-Free for 5 Years

By

Monday marked a very important day in the state of Minnesota. Five years ago a law was put into effect that made it illegal to smoke in public places. Previously, smoking and non-smoking sections were a commonality; now the entire restaurant or bar is a non-smoking section. The American Lung Association estimates that 625,000 Minnesotans still smoke and it says 5,100 die each year due to smoking. But a study done in Minnesota shows that there is a noticeable decline in heart attacks and in exposure to second-hand smoke. It could be thanks - in part - to the Minnesota Clean Air Act. “When people can't smoke indoors, they start thinking about quitting,” said Dr. J. Taylor Hayes of the Nicotine Dependency Center at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

Additional coverage: KAAL, City Pages, Valley News Fargo, KSTC45, MPR News, Bemidji Pioneer, KARE 11, KSTP, Pioneer Press, Post-Bulletin, Chicago Tribune

 

KIMT by Jeron Rennie

Tags: Alcohol and Tobacco, American Lung Association, Dr. J Taylor Hayes, KIMT, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota Clean Air Act, Nicotine Dependence Center, Research, smoking law

Please sign in or register to post a reply.
Contact Us · Privacy Policy