New law clears the air

Atlanta became a "smoke-free" city on Jan. 2, 2020, after the City Council voted in 2019 to ban smoking and vaping in restaurants, bars, workplaces, Hartsfield Jackson International Airport and other public places.

The American Heart Association team in Atlanta joined forces with other organizations in the Smoke-Free Atlanta Coalition to promote the ordinance and protect the health of Atlanta residents and visitors.

There is no safe level of smoke exposure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Secondhand smoke causes immediate adverse reactions in the cardiovascular system. And smoking puts people at higher risk for heart disease and stroke, as well as various cancers and other illness.