Bolstered by recent legislative victories -- including an unlikely win in Nevada -- advocates for indoor public smoking bans say they hope to see such laws passed in every state in the U.S., the Associated Press reported Jan. 14.

A 30-year campaign has succeeded in bringing smokefree laws to more than half of the U.S. population, and advocates are focusing attention on states like Illinois that have not yet passed statewide indoor-smoking bans. The Illinois legislature has voted to allow cities and counties to pass bans, but observers say the time is right for a comprehensive statewide ban.

In 2006, seven states and 116 local communities passed bans. A total of 22 states and 577 communities now prohibit smoking in indoor public spaces.

"The movement for smoke-free air has gone from being a California oddity to the nationwide norm," said Bronson Frick, associate director of Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights. "We think 100 percent of Americans will live in smoke-free jurisdictions within a few years."

Last year's Surgeon General's report detailing the health risks of secondhand smoke has given a push to indoor-smoking legislation even in traditional tobacco-growing states like North Carolina. In Nevada, advocates had to overcome objections from the powerful casino and hospitality industries to get a ban passed. "The Nevada vote shows that when people are given accurate information about the dangers of secondhand smoke, it's almost a no-brainer," said Charlotte, N.C., mayor pro-tem Susan Burgess, who also is the founder of Smokefree Charlotte.

Amy Winterfeld, a health policy analyst at the National Conference of State Legislatures, said at least seven more states are expected to consider indoor-smoking legislation this year. "When you see an issue like this passing in a number of states it does give it momentum in other states," she said. "It's certainly possible that a number of states will take it up this year."