The impact of Rhode Island's statewide smoke-free ordinance on hospital admissions and costs for acute myocardial infarction and asthma.

a groWing number of studies in the united states and other countries, and two meta-analyses, have demonstrated a decrease in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and asthma following the implementation of comprehensive smoking bans. These studies show a decrease in AMI admissions ranging from 8% to 40%, varying with the study design and methods. A statewide smoking ban in Arizona resulted in a 22% reduction in asthma hospital admissions in the year after implementation. In March 2005, Rhode Island implemented the Smoke Free Public Places and Workplaces Act, a comprehensive statewide ban on smoking covering all enclosed public places of business, such as restaurants and bars, healthcare facilities, shopping areas, and offices. We used hospital discharge data to determine whether Rhode Island’s statewide smoking ban reduced hospital admission rates and associated costs for AMI and asthma.