22 of the USA's large-hub airports are smoke free indoors, while seven still allow people to smoke in designated indoor areas, according to a CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) that came out today. Three smoking friendly airports are among the five busiest in the country. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) says that secondhand smoke exposure, also known as passive smoking is responsible for disease, as well as the deaths of children and adults who do no smoke, causing cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. 46,000 Americans are estimated to die annually from heart disease linked to passive smoking. 3,400 non-smoking people in the USA die annually from lung cancer.

The report explains that the only successful way to get rid of indoor secondhand smoking is to adopt policies to ban smoking.

696 million people got on a plane in the USA in 2009. In 2002, 42% of America's 29 large-hub airports were completely smoke free, compared to 76% in 2010, while 7 of them still allowed smoking in some indoor areas. These 29 airports account for about 70% of passenger boardings in the USA.

None of the airports, however, have banned smoking throughout airport property. The authors say that legislation (policies) are required at state, local or airport authority level to protect non-smoking travelers from secondhand smoke exposure.

The authors wrote: Smoking policies in airports can be established by state statute; county or city ordinance; or airport/transit authority rule, regulation, or policy. The report defines a smoke-free airport as one which bans smoking in all its indoor areas 24 hours per day, seven days a week.

The three major airports that allow smoking in some indoor areas are: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Dallas/Fort Worth International Denver International 79% of airports have specific areas outdoors where smoking is allowed, compared to 68% in 2002.

69% of airports today have a minimum distance from airport entrances where people can smoke, compared to 61% in 2002.

There is no federal policy requiring airports to ban smoking, the authors inform.

The authors write: "Cigarette manufacturers have promoted separately enclosed and ventilated smoking areas to the management of airports and opposed efforts to make airports completely smoke-free. Enclosed and ventilated smoking rooms are not effective in eliminating SHS exposure, and air travelers or airport workers who pass by these rooms are at risk for exposure to SHS. A 2010 study found that, although ventilated smoking rooms in a medium-hub airport were operating properly, SHS leaked to surroundings areas where smoking was prohibited." The report informs that entrance areas to airports can have atmospheric nicotine levels similar to those found in the homes of smokers. The report wonders how high levels might be in partially enclosed outdoor airport areas that tolerate smoking.

Source: MMWR, CDC.