Tobacco-free coalition asks Biloxi council for local partnership, cites 12% lower hospitalizations in smoke-free counties

Bianca Booth, project director for the Mississippi Tobacco Free Coalition of Harrison County, asked the Biloxi City Council to allow periodic health updates and partnership to address tobacco-related illness in the region.

Booth, who said she works with New Beginnings Ministries and the local tobacco-free coalition, cited a Mississippi State University analysis by Dr. Robert McMillan and colleagues examining hospital admission rates from 2013 to 2016 across 82 Mississippi counties. She said counties with smoke-free ordinances had hospitalizations 12% lower for tobacco-related illnesses — including heart attacks, strokes, pneumonia, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease — and that admissions for illnesses unrelated to tobacco did not differ, which the presenter interpreted as evidence the reductions were linked to reduced smoke exposure.

Booth noted that in Harrison County only Gulfport had a smoke-free ordinance in place since 2008 and that other cities in the county lacked similar ordinances during the study period. She asked the council to allow her to return periodically "to give you health updates" and offered the coalition’s experience in working with state funding and local partnerships.

Mayor and council members thanked Booth and did not take formal action; the mayor indicated he would ask Booth to provide future updates. No ordinance was proposed at the meeting.