Smokefree Air
What is Smokefree Air Mississippi?
The Smokefree Air Mississippi initiative is an effort led by the
Mississippi State Department of Health to educate and inform
Mississippians about the very real dangers of exposure to
secondhand smoke. The initiative is implemented through
grassroots partners and a statewide media campaign.
The goal of the initiative is to improve the health of all
Mississippians by educating and advocating for a smokefree
environment in all public places.
Smokefree Air
There is no safe level of
exposure to
secondhand smoke.
The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of
the Surgeon General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Smokefree Air
The toll of secondhand smoke
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550 deaths annually among Mississippi non-smokers
Is more harmful to children than adults
Unnecessary danger for workers
Has immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system
Causes heart disease and lung cancer
Our Workplaces
Breathing secondhand smoke is not an option
• Some workplaces expose workers to smoke-filled air for
prolonged periods of time
• Separating smokers from non-smokers does not work. . . there
is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke
• Fans & high-tech ventilation do not work (OSHA, ASHRAE)
Smokefree Air
Only by eliminating smoking in indoor
spaces can non-smokers be protected
from the dangers of secondhand smoke.
There is no safe level of exposure to
secondhand smoke.
Our Children
Problems even before birth
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Babies whose mothers smoke while pregnant and babies who
are exposed to secondhand smoke after birth are more likely to
die from SIDS
Mothers exposed to secondhand smoke while pregnant are
more likely to have lower birthweight babies
Our Children
Growing bodies need smokefree air
• Because their bodies are developing rapidly, infants and
young children are more vulnerable to the poisons in
secondhand smoke
• Children take in more secondhand smoke because they
breathe more rapidly than adults
Our Children
Growing bodies need smokefree air
• Secondhand smoke causes respiratory infections such as
bronchitis and pneumonia in infants and young children
• Exposure to secondhand smoke causes children with asthma
to experience more frequent and severe attacks
• Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at increased risk
for ear infections
Our Economy
Lost Lives & Wasted Taxpayer Dollars
• Treatment of tobacco-related diseases costs Mississippi
$264 million each year in direct Medicaid costs
• The state pays $1.04 in direct Medicaid costs for every pack of
cigarettes purchased in Mississippi
• Smoking is estimated to cost Mississippi businesses $1.4
billion per year in lost productivity
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and
the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Smokefree Air
Widespread Support
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80% of Mississippians do not smoke
76% of all Mississippians believe that worksites should be smokefree
81% of all Mississippians believe restaurants should be smokefree
57% of Mississippi smokers believe restaurants should be smokefree
2009 Mississippi Social Climate Survey of Tobacco Control
Smokefree Air
Statewide Media Campaign
• Television
• Radio
• Newsprint
• Internet
• Mobile App
• Social Media
• Sports Marketing
Smokefree Air
Statewide Media Campaign
Sports Marketing
• Southern Miss vs Kansas – 9/17
• Delta State vs Henderson State – 9/25
• Miss State vs Georgia – 9/25
• Southern Miss vs East Carolina – 10/9
• Alcorn vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff – 10/21
• MS Valley State vs Grambling – 10/23
• Ole Miss vs Auburn – 10/30
• Miss State vs Arkansas – 11/20
• Jackson State vs Alcorn – 11/20
• Ole Miss vs Miss State – 11/27
Smokefree Air
Grassroots Activities: Policy Development
• Engaging Municipal Leadership
• Promoting Mini-Grants for Ordinance Development
• Sharing Data on the Health and Economic Benefits of
Local Comprehensive Smokefree Air Ordinances
Smokefree Air
Grassroots Activities
“Clearing the Air” Community Forums
• Increase interaction with city, county and state
officials
• Engage local media with consistent secondhand
smoke messaging
• Educate community leaders, business owners
and citizens on the benefits of smokefree air
• Encourage support of the Smokefree Air Mississippi
Initiative
Smokefree Air
Grassroots Activities
“Clearing the Air” Community Forums
• Cleveland – 10/26
• Hattiesburg – 10/27
• Coast – 10/28
• Natchez – 11/3
• Starkville – 11/4
• Meridian – 11/9
• Oxford – 11/10
• Hernando – 11/16
• Jackson – 11/18
Smokefree Air
Grassroots Partners
You Deserve Better
Take Action Now
Contact Smokefree Air Mississippi
SmokefreeAirMS.com/coalitions.php
1-866-724-6115
Smokefree Air Mississippi is a program led by
the Mississippi State Department of Health