Comprehensive Smoke-Free Laws — 50 Largest U.S. Cities, 2000 and 2012 
 
 Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure causes heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmoking adults and several health conditions in children (1). However, in the few cases where these sources differ, this analysis relies on the STATE System categorization.¶ 
 
 Only one of the 50 largest U.S. cities (San Jose, California) was covered by a local CSF law as of December 31, 2000. Although 14 of these cities have 100% smoke-free local or state provisions in place in at least one of the three settings considered in this study, the remaining six (Los Angeles, California; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Fresno, California; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Atlanta, Georgia; and Tulsa, Oklahoma) do not. And 10 of them are in states with laws that prevent local governments from passing anti-smoking restrictions. In early November 2012, North Dakota became the 27th state (including the District of Columbia) to enact a state CSF law, and the first state to do so since 2010. The CDC's report on smoke-free laws appears in the Nov. 16 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The number of the 50 largest U.S. cities covered by comprehensive local and/or state smoke-free laws in workplaces, restaurants, and bars increased from one city in 2000 to 30 cities in 2012; 20 cities were not covered by a comprehensive smoke-free law at either the local or state level in 2012.
– A sign of how far anti-smoking bans have come in the last decade: In 2000, only one of the nation's 50 biggest cities—San Jose—had a comprehensive law that banned smoking in bars, restaurants, and workplaces. Today, the CDC says that figure is 30, reports WebMD. Of the remaining 20 cities, several are covered by partial bans, either of the city or state variety, but they don't meet the CDC's 100% threshold. "If we can protect workers and the public in the remaining 20 largest cities, 16 million people would be better protected from cancer and heart disease caused by secondhand smoke," says CDC chief Thomas Frieden. Ten of those cities are in the South. The full CDC report is here.