A smoke-free ban in full compliance with FCTC recommendations entered into force in Romania as of March 2016, after an intense advocacy effort and with strong argumentation support provided by international tobacco control organizations. The ban has been under heavy challenge from policy-makers and interest groups including a constitutional appeal and two attempts to relax its' provisions. As such, fundamentation of the benefits and direct impact of the smoke-free ban on health, economic and social indicators became a crucial defense pillar. As of September 2016, part of the 2035 Tobacco-Free Romania Initiative project, funded by a grant from Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, several research polls and studies have been conducted to assess the ban's impact. Subsequent external communication to decision makers and media increased the awareness of the positive impact of the ban and helped adress its' key critical challenge areas.