Healthy Savannah is commemorating the 15th anniversary of the City of Savannah Smoke Free Air Ordinance, a landmark public health policy passed in 2010, effective January 1, 2011, which has significantly improved air quality and health outcomes across the community.
The ordinance prohibits smoking, including the use of e-cigarettes, in all enclosed public places and workplaces, including restaurants and bars. It also requires a smoke-free buffer of at least 10 feet from entrances, operable windows, and ventilation systems, helping protect residents, workers, and visitors from the dangers of secondhand smoke.
The initiative was conceived by then City of Savannah Mayor Otis Johnson, Ph.D., who founded Healthy Savannah in 2007 after suffering a heart attack the previous year. Under Johnson’s guidance, Healthy Savannah spearheaded the BreathEasy Savannah campaign in 2010, leading to the passage of the ordinance.
