Problem/Objective: Reductions in secondhand cigarette smoke exposure have been shown to attenuate the risk of cardiovascular disease. We examine whether implementation of a statewide smoking ban in New York in 2003 reduced hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke beyond the impact of moderate, local and statewide smoking restrictions independent of secular trends.

Methods: Trends in county-level, age-adjusted, monthly hospital admission rates for AMI and stroke were analyzed from 1995-2004 to identify any association between admission rates and implementation of the ban. Regression models adjust for the effects of pre-existing smoking restrictions, seasonal trends in admissions, differences across counties, and secular trends.

Results: In 2004, there were between 535 and 936 fewer AMI admissions than would have been expected in the absence of the comprehensive smoking ban. Direct health care cost savings of between $7.9 and $14.4 million were realized in 2004.

Conclusions: New York's comprehensive smoking ban was associated with a reduction in hospital admissions for AMI. This study confirms previous findings and provides a measure of the impact of comprehensive smoking bans on hospital admission rates for AMI.