Birmingham Becomes Smoke-Free!

Yesterday, I had the privilege of addressing the Birmingham City Council regarding the Clear Indoor Air Ordinance and its importance to the health of the citizens in our city.

The City Council heard from many sides of the issue, but in the end concluded with a unanimous vote to pass the ordinance. The new ordinance is among the toughest in Alabama, with a longer list of locations where smoking is prohibited,  including hotels, bars, lounges and outdoor patios.

This was, I thought, an historic event for Birmingham, and I applaud the council for their thoughtful deliberation and courage in moving forward with this. Birmingham now becomes the largest city in Alabama to go "smoke free." Maybe this will be the stimulus for a statewide smoke-free law. Let's hope so.

-Ed Partridge, M.D.