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Contacts:
Thurm Brendlinger, Tobacco Program Manager
(215) 567-4004, ext 104 or brendlinger@cleanair.org
Tim Kelly, Project Coordinator
(215) 567-4004, ext 110 or tkelly@cleanair.org
Pennsylvania Goes Smoke-Free!
On June 13, 2008, Governor Ed Rendell signed the Clean Indoor Air Act. Thanks to the many members and friends of the Council that helped bring smoke-free legislation to Pennsylvania. Though the measure unfairly allows workers in some industries to be exposed to tobacco smoke, it prohibits smoking in most public areas and workplaces, protecting the majority of citizens in Pennsylvania from tobacco smoke. In September 2008, the bill will take full effect everywhere in the state except for in the City of Philadelphia, which will be permitted to preserve its pre-existing smoking ban – the Clean Indoor Air Worker Protection Law. Click here for a detailed comparison of the city-wide and state-wide legislation.
While it marks a major step forward, Pennsylvania's smoke-free legislation does not protect everyone in the state from tobacco smoke. Citizens who work at casinos, hotels, bars, private clubs, and health care facilities, among other types of workplaces, may continue to be exposed to secondhand smoke unless the state adopts a more stringent law.
Philadelphia's Smoke-Free Bill
In early January 2007, the City of Philadelphia
began enforcing the Clean Indoor Air Worker Protection Law. The law represents a major victory for clean air and public health. Thank you to
everyone who took action in support of making smoke-free Philly possible! Click to read the law and its amendment.
The smoke-free bill was passed by City Council on June 15, 2006 and signed into law by the Mayor on September 14. After a final amendment was made law in December, the City began enforcement on January 8, 2007.
If you love clean air, write a Letter to the Editor to say how much you support and appreciate a smoke-free Philly. Make your letter personal and tell the world why you love smoke-free air so much! (Click here for letter writing tips)
You can also
call or write your councilperson and the mayor to let them know how much you support and appreciate a smoke-free Philly.
If you are a restaurant or bar worker,
you may be interested in learning more about the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Bar Workers Campaign.
Pennsylvania Restaurant and Bar Workers Campaign
Pennsylvania has yet to pass comprehensive smoke-free legislation. Clean Air Council has spearheaded a campaign to organize restaurant and bar workers in Pennsylvania in the movement for smoke-free workplaces. In this statewide campaign restaurant and bar workers are becoming empowered in a grassroots effort to work for smoke-free workplaces and to "86 the smoke"!
Worksite Smoking
Survey Results available
In December 2004 the Council surveyed 5000 randomly
selected worksites throughout Philadelphia (excluding restuarants
and bars) about their smoking policies. Over 10% of businesses responded.
The survey found
that a large majority (70%) of Philadelphia businesses have
an official smoking policy, and that even greater majorities
prohibit smoking in indoor work (94%) and non-work (91%)
areas. However, many businesses (59%) still allow smoking
at business entrances. The results can be viewed here.
The
survey results indicate that workers in most
industries are protected from secondhand smoke. However, restaurant
and bar workers in Philadelphia are NOT! Take action now!
Tobacco Smoke
Pollution Program
Clean Air Council is involved in tobacco
smoke pollution issues as part of its work on indoor air
quality. The Council has been a leading force with regard
to indoor air pollution in Pennsylvania for over 20 years.
Air pollution, whether outdoors or indoors, is dangerous
for all of us. It is an even more serious problem for children,
the elderly, and people with preexisting respiratory diseases.
During the last decade, hundreds of published scientific
reports have documented the damaging effects of tobacco
on human health including: lung cancer, bronchial constriction,
reduced lung function, respiratory illness, and asthma.
It is well established that secondhand smoke substantially
increases health risks from common indoor air pollutants
such as radon, asbestos, and particulates.
Tobacco Smoke Pollution Facts
Tobacco smoke pollution comes from two places: smoke breathed out by the person who smokes, and smoke from the end of a burning cigarette. Tobacco smoke pollution causes or exacerbates a wide range of adverse health effects, including cancer, respiratory infections, and asthma.
- Tobacco smoke pollution contains over 4,000 chemicals; 200 are poisons; at least 69 cause cancer. Tobbacco smoke pollution has been classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a known cause of cancer in humans (Group A carcinogen).
Tobacco smoke pollution causes lung cancer and other health problems. The EPA estimates that secondhand smoke causes approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths and 37,000 heart disease deaths in nonsmokers each year.
Tobacco smoke pollution is especially harmful to young children. EPA estimates that secondhand smoke is responsible for between 150,000 and 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections in infants and children under 18 months of age annually, resulting in between 7,500 and 15,000 hospitalizations each year.
Tobacco smoke pollution is harmful to children with asthma. The EPA estimates that for between 200,000 and one million asthmatic children, exposure to secondhand smoke worsens their condition.
- Tobacco smoke pollution can make healthy children less than 18 months of age sick; it can cause pneumonia, ear infections, bronchitis, coughing, wheezing and increased mucus production. According to the EPA, tobacco smoke pollution can lead to the buildup of fluid in the middle ear, the most common cause of hospitalization of children for an operation.
Individuals can take several steps to reduce their exposure to tobacco smoke pollution , including:
- If you smoke, quit!
Keep smoke away from you and your family by asking people not to smoke in your home.
Make sure your child's day care site and school are smoke-free.
Use no-smoking signs, buttons and stickers at home, at work, and in your car.
Eat in smoke-free environments.
Seek a smoke-free worksite.
- Support clean air laws that protect you from secondhand smoke.
For more information call the American
Lung Association at 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872), or
visit their web
site.
What is secondhand smoke?
Secondhand smoke (also referred to as Environmental
Tobacco Smoke - ETS) is a mixture of two forms of smoke
from tobacco products:
- Sidestream Smoke is given
off from the burning end of tobacco products
- Mainstream Smoke is exhaled
from the lungs of a smoker
How dangerous is secondhand smoke?
Secondhand smoke contains over 4000 chemicals. Of
these chemicals, 401 are poisonous and 43 have been proven
to cause cancer in humans and animals. Simply spending 30
minutes in a smoke filled room is the equivalent of a non-smoker
smoking one cigarette.
What can you do to avoid its effects?
By navigating this website, visitors can arm themselves
with the information they need to not only avoid exposure
to secondhand smoke, but also to learn about the health
and environmental effects of secondhand smoke. Visitors
to this website can also find the latest information on
current legislation and scientific publications concerning
tobacco and secondhand smoke.
Tobacco Laws
Pennsylvania Clean Indoor Air Act of 2008
Clean Indoor Air Act
of 1988
School Tobacco Control Act
of 1988
Tobacco Resources
SmokeFree
Philly is your local resource for quitting smoking. |
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