Voice your support for clean, smokefree air!

January 24, 2004 marked the first 6 months of the state’s expanded Clean Indoor Air Act (CIAA.) This legislation, which overwhelmingly passed the state Assembly and Senate and was signed by Gov. Pataki in March 2003, bans smoking tobacco products indoors at any worksite. Included are bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, garages, warehouses, and private offices.

	Over three-quarters of NYS adults (78%) either favor the state's current Clean Indoor Air Act, or are indifferent. The Clean Indoor Air Act provides that all indoor work areas in New York State, including all restaurants, bars and bowling alleys, are free of harmful tobacco smoke.
Pct of NYS adults who favor, oppose, or are indifferent to expanded CIAA. (NYS Adult Tobacco Survey, June 26-Sept 30, 2003.)

Right now––perhaps more than ever––your support for the Clean Indoor Air Act must be heard! The Tobacco Control Coalition of Tompkins County urges all who are so inclined to make your support for a smokefree community known.

Write to your elected officials, both local and state-level. Talk up your support with family, friends, co-workers and colleagues. Write a letter to the editor. Tell the staff and management at your favorite tavern, restaurant and bowling alley that smoke-free is better than smoke-filled.

Here are some points to remember:

• Secondhand smoke (SHS) is classified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a Class A carcinogen. There is no established “safe” level of exposure.
• Nationally, SHS is responsible for 3,000 lung cancer deaths, close to 250,000 heart attacks, and over 60,000 non-smoker deaths every year.
• 77% of NYS adults support or are indifferent to the law.
• 86% of NYS adults say they will go out to bars as often or more than they did before the smoking ban.

  A Helena, Montana law made all public places smokefree in June 2002. A legal challenge ended the law after 6 months. While the law was in effect heart attack admissions fell 60% at the area's local hospital. Heart attack rates went back "to normal," when the smoking ban ended.

• Indoor air free of secondhand tobacco smoke greatly decreases the risk of heart attack.
• As a community we treasure the clean air afforded by the ban on smoking in workplaces and public places. A smokefree community is more welcoming to visitors who come for business or leisure.
• Waivers and exemptions to the law sought by clean air opponents will betray the trust of public health. There should be no exceptions for smoking in places where people do their job or places which are open to the public.

Please make your support for clean, smokefree air known.

County Legislators home page: http://www.tompkins-co.org/legislature/members/
Legislature office, 274 5434

State Senate

State Assembly

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T-Free: Tobacco Free Tompkins is funded by a NYSDOH grant to the Tompkins County Health Department  (Page updated 2/24/09)