Clean Air for All.
Because nobody
should have to breathe
secondhand smoke to
hold a job.
What is secondhand smoke?

Combination of side stream smoke from
a burning cigarette and smoke exhaled
from a smoker’s mouth or nose

Also called…
– Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS)
– Passive Smoking
– Involuntary Smoking
So What’s the Big Deal About a
Little Smoke?
43 known cancer-causing agents.
 Over 4,000 chemicals, including
Ammonia (toilet cleaner), Arsenic
(poison), Butane (lighter fluid), Stearic
Acid (candle wax), Hexamine (barbeque
lighter), and Nicotine (insecticide)

It’s a fact: secondhand smoke
causes chronic disease and death

The scientific debate is over. Conclusive
studies from the most credible major health
organizations:
–
–
–
–
The U.S. Surgeon General
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The National Research Council
The World Health Organization’s International
Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
Secondhand smoke harms
non-smoking adults





Coronary heart disease
Lung and nasal sinus cancers
Emphysema
Increased risk of breast cancer
Worsening of asthma
Over 60,000 otherwise healthy nonsmokers
die each year from secondhand smoke
exposure!
Secondhand smoke
harms restaurant
and bar workers

A Canadian study found that the most heavily
exposed workers are three times as likely to
get lung cancer compared with workers in a
smoke-free environment.

Secondhand smoke at work is responsible for
about 20% of all breast cancer in waitresses
and female bartenders.
There is a solution!
The benefits of smoke-free legislation:

Primary Benefit - Removes immediate health
threat to patrons and workers.

Secondary Benefits - Reduces youth smoking
and reduces amount of tobacco used by
smokers on a daily basis.
The rationale behind smokefree legislation

All employees, including those in
restaurants and bars, are entitled to
smoke-free work environments.

The lungs of bartenders are just as
important as the lungs of executives.
There are no second class lungs.
Who’s already done this?
Smoke-free bar ordinances:

States of California and Delaware
 Ottawa and Vancouver, Canada
 El Paso, Texas
 Boulder and Aspen, Colorado
 Helena, Montana
 Eugene and Corvalis, Oregon
 Tempe and Guadalupe, Arizona
 Las Cruces, New Mexico
 Numerous towns in Massachusetts, including 12 of
15 towns on Cape Cod
What About New York?
Nassau County smoke-free bar law
passed 10/7/02 – will take effect 3/03
 Suffolk and Westchester County smokefree bar laws pending vote
 Public hearing on NYC smoke-free bar
law held 10/10/02

The financial impact on
business?
None!

Contrary to claims, studies have shown that
smoke-free ordinances do not hurt sales
receipts or tourism.

This makes sense. Adult non-smokers
outnumber smokers 4 to 1.

The only business that loses money when
smoking is banned is the tobacco industry.
Eating establishments’ taxable annual sales in
California by liquor license type, 1992-1999
18
16
Billion Dollars
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
No Alcoholic Beverages
Beer & Wine
All Types of Liquor
Smoke-free
Bars
Smoke-free
Restaurants
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
9.9
6
7.7
10
6.1
7.6
10.5
6.3
7.8
11
6.6
7.9
11.7
6.8
8.2
12.4
7.2
8.6
13.4
7.6
9.1
14.4
8.3
9.8
15.5
9
11
Source: California State Board of Equalization.
Prepared by: California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section,
November 2001.
What’s next…red meat?
Twinkies? Coffee?

There is no such thing as secondhand
exposure to red meat, Twinkies or
coffee – they only hurt the consumer.

All freedoms are balanced by
responsibility to do no harm. Drinking
alcohol is legal, but driving intoxicated is
not.
What about “new”
ventilation technology?

According to the American Society of Heating,
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers
(ASHRAE), “there are no filtration systems
that eliminate all of the toxins in secondhand
smoke.”

Even if the room doesn’t smell like smoke, the
toxins are still there.
Aren’t restaurants and bars
privately owned businesses?

These facilities are already regulated
from door to dumpster.

We don’t debate whether or not owners
can serve old meat, or wash dishes in
cold water or forgo fire exits.
Erie County residents are
ready for a change!
February 2001 telephone
poll by Zeplowitz & Associates:




90% believe secondhand smoke is harmful
82% want to see waiters, waitresses and bartenders
protected from tobacco smoke
72% believe restaurant smoking should be restricted
to separately enclosed & ventilated room or banned
entirely
57% believe law should include stand-alone bars and
taverns
Our Proposal:

Prohibit smoking in the
following public locations:
– Bar areas of restaurants
– Stand-alone bars and taverns
– Bowling centers

Prohibit food and beverage service in
separate smoking rooms
How Can You Help?
Sign-up to become an individual
advocate
 Endorse our proposal on behalf of your
organization
 Call or write your county legislator

Clean Air for All.