A new study shows the incidence of heart attack and sudden cardiac death was roughly cut in half among residents of Minnesota's Olmsted County after smoke-free ordinances took effect in workplaces over the past decade. The report from researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester - Olmsted's county seat - was presented Monday at a meeting of heart disease experts in Orlando. It adds emphasis to findings from earlier studies that also showed a link between smoking bans and reduced heart attacks, said Dr. Richard Hurt, director of Mayo Clinic's Nicotine Dependence Center.
Pioneer Press, Chris Snowbeck, 11/15/11
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