Texas Smoke-Free Ordinance Database

Click on the link below to access the Texas Smoke-Free Ordinance Database web site: http://txshsord.coe.uh.edu By clicking the link above, you are leaving the Texas Department of State Health Services web site and entering the University of Houston Health Network for Evaluation and Training Systems (HNETS)

Studies continue to demonstrate exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) is causally linked to cancer and other serious health consequences among children and adults. Placing restrictions on smoking in public places is a key strategy to limit the public’s exposure to SHS.

As part of the research team brought together to plan and evaluate the Texas Tobacco Prevention Initiative, the University of Houston has developed the Texas Smoke-Free Ordinance Database. In addition to providing a collection of ordinances from municipalities across the state, researchers at the University of Houston have analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of ordinances included in the database.

This is accomplished by defining five key aspects of collected ordinances, then providing a descriptive scoring system for evaluation purposes.

Key aspects described and/or evaluated include:

• settings where smoking is restricted
• level of restrictiveness for focal settings
• level of exemption of bar coverage based on percentage of gross annual sales of alcoholic beverages
• setting details
• provisions for enforcement and sanctions

The interactive Texas Smoke-Free Ordinance Database web site allows users to download text of local ordinances (PDF files) and/or view corresponding summary profiles evaluating the ordinance for each municipality. Users can generate customized reports which compare ordinances at the state, public health region and county level. These reports can be further customized by the user specification of population size range and percentage of minority population coverage of interest.

As an evolving research and evaluation tool, the database stands as a significant accomplishment in the development of a statewide comprehensive tobacco prevention program. As more Texas communities engage in passing smoke-free ordinances or strengthening those in existence, the database will track these changes and provide communities with the information they need to accomplish their tobacco prevention goals.

How to access the Texas Smoke-Free Ordinance Database:

The database web site is currently accessed by a link to the University of Houston Health Network for Evaluation and Training Systems (HNETS) web site.

Click on the link below to access the Texas Smoke-Free Ordinance Database web site:

• http://txshsord.coe.uh.edu
  By clicking the link above, you are leaving the Texas Department of State Health Services web site.

Evaluation reports by researchers at the University of Houston addressing development and use of the database can be viewed on the University of Houston web site at http://www.uh.edu/hnets/Tobacco.html

DSHS Research Regarding Smoke-Free Ordinances

Researchers at the Department of State Health Services have developed the following reports regarding effects of smoke-free ordinances in Texas cities:

One-Year Assessment of the Impact of a Smoking Ban on Restaurant and Bar Revenues in El Paso, Texas, August 2003
(PDF file, 41 kb, viewing information)
Publication Number: E16-11832

Impact of Clean Indoor Air Ordinances on Restaurant Revenues in Four Texas Cities: Arlington, Austin, Plano and Wichita Falls, 1987-1999
(PDF file, 144 kb, viewing information)
Publication Number: E16-11829

Other resources for information on Texas smoke-free ordinances:

• TRUST for a Smoke-free Texas publishes a summation of Texas ordinances deemed "strong" or "relatively strong" based on their own criteria. Click here to visit the TRUST web site.
  

Last Updated March 8, 2005