Exposure to secondhand smoke is harmful to a person’s health and should be avoided, especially those with known coronary artery disease or heart disease. Mayo Clinic researchers have found that the incidence of heart attacks and sudden cardiac deaths have decreased since the implementation of comprehensive smoke-free laws in Olmsted County, Minn., in 2002.
In the 18 months following a comprehensive smoke-free ordinance in 2007, in which restaurants and workplaces became smoke-free, that rate dropped to 102.9 per 100,000 residents — a decrease of about 45 percent. Additionally, during these two time periods, the incidence of sudden cardiac death fell from 152.5 to 76.6 per 100,000 residents — a 50 percent reduction. Learn more…
