Smoking, Vaping Ban Now In Effect At Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson

ATLANTA, GA — A citywide ban on smoking and vaping inside Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, city facilities, workplaces and other specified public places went into effect today. According to reports, Hartsfield-Jackson closed its indoor smoking rooms in response to the ban and smoking is no longer permitted at the three airport restaurants that previously allowed it: Gordon Biersch, TAP and Terrapin Taphouse.

The Atlanta City Council approved legislation in July to prohibit smoking and vaping in bars and restaurants, excluding outdoor seating or serving areas. The legislation aims to protect the public against exposure to secondhand smoke.

City councilmen Post 2 At Large Matt Westmoreland from Midtown and Post 3 At Large Andre Dickens were co-sponsors of the bill.

The city had already banned smoking in restaurants, but this ordinance also prohibits smoking in bars and public spaces.

The airport’s domestic terminal and international terminal now have designated outdoor smoking zones located at least 25 feet from entrances. The zones, however, are not within the airport’s security-controlled areas, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports, meaning passengers who want to smoke while connecting between flights must leave the secure concourses to get to the outdoor smoking zones, then go back through security to catch their next flight.

Hartsfield-Jackson will offer a 30-day accommodation program offering complimentary nicotine lozenges to passengers with limited access to the exterior smoking zones.

Those found in violation of the ban could face a fine of up to $100 for a first violation, and up to $200 for each additional violation within a year.

Smoking is prohibited indoors at most of the 35 busiest airports in the United States, the AJC reports. The only airports that allow it are McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Washington Dulles International Airport and Nashville International Airport

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report in 2017 showed that Los Angeles International, Chicago O'Hare, Beijing Capital International, London Heathrow, Shanghai Pudong and Dallas/Fort Worth are among the world's largest airports with indoor smoke-free policies.