Effect of Savannah Smoke-free Air Law on Indoor Air Pollution

Between 2004 and 2007, the Coastal Health District, where Savannah is located, has consistently showed smoking prevalence of 25 percent.

This smoking prevalence was higher than the overall state smoking rate of 20 percent in Georgia. Secondhand smoke exposure is a major risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases (e.g. heart attacks and strokes) and can make other diseases such as asthma and diabetes worse. In Georgia, approximately 1,430 citizens die annually due to exposure to secondhand smoke.

To address the disease burden of tobacco use in the Coastal Health District, the Healthy Savannah Coalition was organized in 2009. The coalition and its subcommittee, Smoke Free Savannah, worked with city and council government officials to strengthen the Georgia Smokefree Air Act of 2005. In August 2010, the mayor and city council members of Savannah voted to restrict smoking in all indoor places by all people at all times. And in February 2012, the Chatham County Commission voted overwhelmingly to pass a smoke-free ordinance to eliminate all smoking in public places and workplaces.

Staff from the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Coastal Health District conducted two evaluation activities to measure the impact of the Savannah smoke-free ordinance. First, 140 in-person interviews were conducted across 17 bars and 20 restaurants to understand the experience of local Savannah residents and businesses. Then, indoor air samples were collected from bars and restaurants and analyzed both before and after the ordinance was implemented to assess the change in indoor air quality.

The primary findings fall into two categories: general support for the smoke-free ordinance and a healthier indoor environment.
 

• General support for the smoking ordinance: Over half of the interviewees (59 percent) supported the ordinance, while approximately one third (29 percent) opposed it. Restaurant interviewees were more likely (74 percent) to support the ordinance than bar interviewees (47 percent). One owner stated "I'm a smoker, and I have absolutely no problem with the ordinance." Although some customers expressed irritation at having to smoke outdoors, most complied with the ordinance. Bar interviewees who did not support the ordinance (40 percent) objected to its infringement on the rights of individuals and businesses, along with the accumulation of cigarette butts on the streets outside establishments.
• Healthier indoor environments:  Among establishments that allowed smoking prior to the ordinance, the indoor air pollution decreased by 93 percent after the smoke-free ordinance was enacted (figure 1). The decrease in indoor air pollution moved from the very unhealthy range to the good range on the Environmental Protection Agency's air quality Index. Customers reported improved air quality, increased health benefits and reduced secondhand smoke exposure. One customer noted "I love it as a non-smoker: no secondhand smoke, no stench and it's healthier for everybody."  Employees and owners/managers reported that they no longer smelled of smoke, could breathe more easily, and spent less time/resources cleaning their worksites. Additionally, some customers and employees reported a decrease in their smoking as a result of the ordinance. One customer shared "I don't smoke as much since the ban. I used to smoke a pack a day, now I'm down to half a pack per day." An employee reported "I fought the ordinance adamantly, used to smoke one to two packs before. Now I'm down to two packs a week. It's a healthier way to be."

The Georgia Department of Public Health and the Coastal Health District thanks everyone who participated in the making the smoke-free ordinance a reality in Savannah. The smoke-free ordinance will eventually help to reduce the burden of disease associated with tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure among residents of and visitors to Savannah and Chatham County. For more information on the smoke-free ordinance projects across the state please contact Glykeria Hadjisimos, 404-657-6515 or at glhadjisimos@dhr.state.ga.us.

Consider supporting the American Cancer Society's annual Great American SmokeOut on Nov. 15, 2012. People interested in quitting can call the Georgia Tobacco Quit Line at 877-270-STOP (7867) and/or visit the Georgia Department of Public Health's Live Healthy Georgia website: http://www.livehealthygeorgia.org/peoplesmokefree.shtml.

-Story by Program Evaluator Laura Whalen, Georgia Tobacco Use Prevention Program; Omar Guessous, Georgia Cardiovascular Health Initiative; and Program Manager Kenneth Ray, Georgia Tobacco Use Prevention Program