Researchers studied the effects of smoke-free ordinances implemented in Pueblo, Colorado, in 2003. The law banned smoking in the workplace and in public spaces.The number of people hospitalized for heart attacks dropped significantly after the implementation of the smoking ban. In the 18 months prior to the ban, there were 400 heart attacks; after the ban the number dropped to 237.

The researchers compared Pueblo’s heart attack rates with two similar areas that did not have smoking bans. They found no significant changes in heart attack rates in those areas without smoking bans.

Smoking bans are also designed to protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke. Studies have shown that public bans on smoking improve the overall health of people.

Previous studies have shown that after a ban smoking in enclosed public place was introduced in Scotland in March 2006, there was a 17 percent reduction in hospital admissions for acute coronary syndrome. There was a 14 percent reduction in admissions among smokers, a 19 percent reduction among former smokers, and a 21 percent reduction among people who’d never smoked, the US News and World Report noted. A report issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that New York City’s smoking rate has plummeted since anti-smoking measures were adopted in 2002.

Smoking increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and other medical problems. Studies found that people who smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day develop Alzheimer’s disease six to seven years earlier than those who don’t smoke. Drinking and smoking are two of the most important risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease.