Of the 50 busiest airports in the world, 23 prohibit smoking in all indoor areas, according to the CDC's most recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
For the study, CDC researchers assessed 2017 airport smoking policies and identified significant regional differences. In North America, 14 out of the 18 busiest airports in the country have a smoke-free policy, compared to four out of the nine busiest airports in Europe and 4 out of the 22 busiest airports in Asia.
"Separating smokers from nonsmokers, cleaning the air and ventilating buildings cannot eliminate exposure of nonsmokers to secondhand smoke," said Brian King, PhD, deputy director for research translation in the CDC's office on smoking and health. "People who spend time in, pass by, clean or work near these rooms are at risk of exposure to secondhand smoke."
The four airports in North America without smoke-free policies are Atlanta-Hartsfield Jackson International, Denver International Airport, McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas and Mexico City International Airport.
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