Vanderburgh County, Indiana, Rallies for Smoke-Free Air

The Vanderburgh County Health Department responded to a request for proposals developed by NACCHO and NALBOH and was subsequently selected. NACCHO and NALBOH held a planning call with health department staff members and a training session with invited coalition members. During the day-long session, NACCHO and NALBOH representatives trained participants on the components of a comprehensive tobacco control program and walked them through development of an action plan. The training also focused on developing local strategic plans, presenting information to the public to gain support and members, and using facilitation methods for coalitions and consensus. The Vanderburgh County Health Department led the effort, with support from the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, and American Heart Association.

NACCHO and NALBOH also facilitated an action planning meeting with 20 coalition members in November 2009. The meeting aimed to reinvigorate tobacco control efforts in the county and led to development of a strategy to pass a comprehensive smoke-free workplace ordinance in Evansville and Vanderburgh County. The target audience for the ordinance was all tobacco-smoking adults working and conducting business in Vanderburgh County.

On February 22, 2011, county commissioners approved a comprehensive smoke-free air ordinance requiring public places and places of employment, including bars, restaurants, and membership clubs, to be smoke free. It also prohibits smoking within 10 feet of all smoke-free buildings. The county ordinance became effective on July 1, 2011.

On April 1, 2012, the City of Evansville implemented a separate yet similar smoke-free air ordinance. It prohibits smoking in all public places and within 10 feet of any enclosed area where smoking is prohibited.

A University of Southern Indiana study demonstrated the health benefit of Vanderburgh County’s smoke-free air law. Using state-of-the-art air pollution monitors to measure the levels of fine particulate air pollution in five restaurants and bars in the county, researchers found a 95% decrease in indoor air pollution 24 months after the July 2011 Vanderburgh County smoke-free air ordinance went into effect.