Overview
The Centers for Disease Control has concluded there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke which is the third leading cause of preventable death in America. Second hand smoke kills 53,000 non-smoking Americans yearly and is a known cause of lung cancer, heart disease, low birth weight, chronic lung ailments such as bronchitis and asthma and many other health problems.
Just as regulations have been established to set health and safety standards in workplaces, a ban on smoking is critical to protect the health of patrons of restaurants and bars as well as employees. Secondhand smoke contains 69 different kinds of chemicals which cause cancer. Secondhand smoke kills at least 53,000 nonsmokers a year, including 3,000 lung cancer deaths and 35,000 coronary heart disease deaths. Exposure to secondhand smoke is associated with an increased risk for respiratory infections, asthma, sudden infant death syndrome and lower chronic ear infections among children.
That is why TexPIRG has joined the Smoke-Free Texas Coalition to help pass a ban on smoking in all public places. Currently, 24 states have enacted comprehensive smoke-free laws and 13 other states are considering similar legislation. Smoke-Free Texas is working with state leaders to make Texas among the smoke-free states in 2009. Smoke-Free Texas is also working with communities throughout the state to pass local comprehensive smoke-free ordinances. Currently 28 cities in Texas have such ordinances.
Unfortunately, the tobacco industry is working to stop these critical health protections. Across the country, the tobacco industry has been the lead opponent to these laws and has funded studies and used anecdotal claims of lost revenues to fight smoke-free laws. The truth is, not a single peer-reviewed study that used objective measures has found smoke-free policies to impact the economic health of restaurants and bars. In fact, New York City bars and restaurants saw a 12 percent increase since the city's smoke-free ordinance went into effect in March 2003.
The truth is: smoke-free laws save lives.
