25 Years of Smoke-Free Spaces: Celebrating El Paso’s Legacy of Leadership

Twenty-five years ago, El Paso made history.

On June 26, 2001, El Paso became the first city in Texas to adopt a comprehensive smoke-free ordinance, taking a bold step to protect residents and visitors from the harmful effects of secondhand cigarette smoke.

The milestone was the result of years of dedication and collaboration among residents, elected officials, public health professionals, community organizations, health care partners, and local businesses who shared a common goal: creating healthier environments for everyone.

A bold decision that changed our community

When El Paso adopted its Clean Indoor Air Ordinance in 2001, the community demonstrated that protecting people from secondhand smoke could go hand in hand with a thriving local economy.

The ordinance created smoke-free protections in indoor public spaces, including restaurants and other businesses. El Paso’s experience helped demonstrate that creating healthier environments did not mean businesses had to close or lose customers.

In the years that followed, other major Texas cities followed El Paso’s lead. Austin adopted a similar ordinance in 2005, followed by Houston and Dallas in 2007 and Fort Worth in 2018.

What began as a bold decision in El Paso became part of a broader movement across Texas to protect people from secondhand smoke.

Continuing the work for a healthier Paso del Norte

Smoke-free protections have continued to evolve as new challenges have emerged.

In 2014, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, through its Smoke-Free Paso del Norte initiative, collaborated with partners in the Paso del Norte Tobacco Control Network to update the City of El Paso Clean Indoor Air Ordinance.

The updates expanded the definition of smoking to include electronic cigarettes and extended no-smoking protections to city-owned properties, including parks and bus stops. They also established a 20-foot no-smoking zone around public entrances.

These updates reflected an ongoing commitment to keeping smoke-free protections relevant as tobacco and nicotine products changed.

A legacy that belongs to the community

The 25th anniversary of the City of El Paso Clean Indoor Air Ordinance is more than a look back at a historic policy. It is an opportunity to recognize the people and partnerships that helped make it possible and the generations who have benefited from that work.

For 25 years, El Paso’s smoke-free efforts have helped create healthier public spaces and contribute to a better quality of life for residents and visitors.

Today, we honor the community that chose to act.

We chose health.

We chose courage.

We chose to protect something we all share: the right to breathe smoke-free air in the places where we live, work and gather.

And 25 years later, that legacy lives on.

Because when we create smoke-free spaces, we create healthier futures.

Smoke-Free Paso del Norte

Smoke-Free Spaces. Healthier Futures.