Smoke-Free
Ordinance
In the U.S., 27 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, plus hundreds of cities and counties, have enacted comprehensive smoke-free laws covering workplaces, restaurants, and bars.
The Issue:
Secondhand smoke is a poisonous mixture of more than 7,000 chemicals, including hundreds that are toxic and at least 69 that cause cancer. The U.S. Surgeon General and public health agencies around the world have documented overwhelming evidence of the deadly effects of secondhand smoke:
Death
In the U.S., secondhand smoke kills about 50,000 people each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Worldwide, secondhand smoke kills more than 600,000 people each year, according to a 2010 study by the World Health Organization
Smoke-Free Laws:
Public health authorities have concluded that the only way to protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke is to require completely smoke-free workplaces and public places. Other approaches, such as air ventilation systems and separate smoking and non-smoking sections, do not eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke. Numerous scientific studies have also documented that smoke-free policies do not have an adverse economic impact on the hospitality industry
Smoke-Free Laws & Businesses:
Rights
Everyone has the right to breathe clean, smoke-free air at work and while visiting public places like restaurants and bars.
Economics
Numerous careful scientific and economic reviews show that smoke-free laws do not hurt restaurant and bar patronage, employment, sales, or profits.
Employee Health
Smoke-free laws help protect restaurant and bar employees and patrons from the harms of secondhand smoke.
Less Temptation
Smoke-free laws help the seven out of every ten smokers who want to quit smoking by providing them with public environments free from any pressure or temptation to smoke.