An indoor-smoking ban implemented in January 2007 in France cut hospital admissions for heart attacks by 15 percent during its first year in force, while Italian researchers found that a similar ban in Italy has reduced acute coronary events by 11.2 percent since January 2005, Science Daily reported Feb. 26.

"There is a wealth of data linking smoking and cardiovascular disease (CVD)," stated Professor David Thomas of the European Society of Cardiology. "Although further studies are needed all over France to confirm the strong decrease in smoking related deaths over time, these statistics show the same tendency professionals have already observed in Italy, Ireland and Scotland when these countries introduced their own bans on tobacco."

The French study also found that the ban had reduced air pollution in cafes and restaurants by 35 percent, although researchers also found that the new rules have not led to an overall reduction in smoking in France.

"Passive smoking has been shown to increase the risk of coronary heart disease and the recent smoking ban is obviously having a beneficial effect on both smokers and nonsmokers," said Thomas. "In France, people are actually still buying tobacco but just the fact that working and living environments are free from smoke pollution has made an enormous difference to public health, not only regarding cardiovascular disease, but also respiratory disease and other complaints such as headaches."

The French study came from the National Sanitary Institute, while the Italian research was produced by the Environmental Health Authority.