New research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that hospital admissions for heart attacks have dropped significantly in Pueblo, Colo., since the city put in place an indoor smoking ban three years ago, All Headline News reported Jan. 2.

Hospital admissions for heart attacks dropped from 399 in the 18 months before the ban took effect to 237 hospitalizations during a similar 18-month period after the ban was enforced. The ban went into effect July 1, 2003.

“This study adds to existing evidence that smoke-free policies can dramatically reduce illness and death from heart disease,” said Janet Collins, director of CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

The study was published in the Jan. 2, 2009 issue of the CDC’s Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report.