07/25/2025
An important message from our New York State Bureau of To***co Control Director Gina OSullivan: Today marks the 22nd anniversary of New York’s Clean Indoor Air Act, which ended smoking in bars, restaurants, and most other workplaces. This anniversary serves as an important reminder that effective public health policies can drive measurable improvements in health outcomes (Juster et al., 2007).
In the Capital District, NewsChannel 13 ran a segment reflecting on the law and its legacy:
New York state bans indoor public smoking: https://wnyt.com/capital-region-news/new-york-state-bans-indoor-public-smoking-our-2003-coverage/
Reflecting on this milestone serves as a reminder of how far we've come and the continued importance of our work in ensuring that all New Yorkers are protected from the harms of commercial to***co.
On July 24, 2003, smoking was banned in pretty much all indoor public places in New York state, including bars and restaurants. The controversial law had many divided, and left smokers especially upset.