Mar 30, 2023
It’s been 20 years since former New York City Mayor Michael
Bloomberg effectively banned smoking in bars, restaurants and
workplaces. At the time, the Smoke-Free Air Act was met with plenty
of opposition, with critics saying it would destroy the restaurant
and bar industry, hurt tourism and create a dip in tax revenue. Two
decades later, the measure has proven to be an overwhelming
success, with many
other municipalities, both in America and abroad, following in the
city’s footsteps.
Dr. Tom Frieden was Bloomberg’s health commissioner in
2003, and
was an integral part of making the law a reality. He joined Errol
Louis to look back at how the Smoke-Free Air Act came to pass,
while discussing the many struggles that remain in the war against
smoking, including the current statewide proposal to ban menthol
cigarettes. The conversation also covered Frieden’s tenure as the
director of the Centers for Disease
Control and
Prevention, as well as his current
position as the president of Resolve to Save Lives, a health
organization fighting to prevent epidemics and cardiovascular
disease.
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