Editorial: Going smoke-free moving forward

The battle to go smoke-free in Michigan is slowly continuing to be waged across the state, one community at a time.

The most recent example is Midland. On May 1, the county became smoke-free after the county board approved the Midland County Clean Air Regulation on Jan. 17.

The county’s Tobacco Reduction Coalition, health department and Midland Community Cancer Services have been educating the public about the issue. They have contacted business owners and answered questions about the smoke-free regulation.

The ordinance ensures smoke-free environments in all public and private worksites, including business vehicles and in all public places. Entrances and exits to all workplaces in the county are covered by the regulation. The ordinance states air must be smoke-free anyplace where someone may be forced to breathe secondhand smoke against their will.

The smoke-free regulation does not apply to bars and restaurants, because state law says smoking is acceptable in those places, and it is illegal for county laws to override state laws.

The U.P. is not untouched by this movement. Last year the Marquette County Board unanimously adopted a comprehensive Clean Indoor Air Regulation covering about 65,000 people in 22 municipalities in the county.

The regulation went into effect Nov. 1. Employers must communicate the policy to employees, post no smoking signs, and remove all ashtrays from the facility. Smoking will also not be allowed near entrances, windows, or intake of ventilation systems of all workplaces and public places where smoking is regulated.

A major proponent of going smoke-free is the Campaign for Smokefree Air (CSA). CSA is a grassroots coalition founded by the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, and American Lung Association of Michigan, as well as other statewide groups who support eliminating secondhand smoke dangers in workplaces, restaurants and bars.

The dangers of secondhand smoke are well documented.

Dangers of Secondhand Smoke

-- 23.2 percent (1,758,300) of Michigan adults smoke.

-- Secondhand smoke causes between 35,000 and 40,000 deaths from heart disease every year.

-- 12,000 otherwise healthy nonsmokers will die of some form of cancer, 3,000 specifically to lung cancer, because of their exposure to secondhand smoke.

-- Secondhand smoke contains over 4000 substances, more than 60 of which are known or suspected to cause cancer.

-- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified secondhand smoke as a Group A carcinogen, a substance which is known to cause human cancer.

-- According to the American Cancer Society, secondhand smoke the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States, killing 38,000 to 65,000 nonsmokers every year.

-- Food service workers appear to be 50 percent more likely than the general population to develop lung cancer, largely because many of them are exposed to secondhand smoke on the job.

Kids and Smoking

-- 22.6 percent (131,600) of high school students smoke.

-- 30,100 kids (Under 18) become new daily smokers each year.

-- 32.9 million packs of cigarettes are bought or smoked by kids each year.

-- Studies show secondhand smoke may be a major factor in the development of asthma in children under 5.

-- Secondhand smoke is a serious trigger of asthma and can cause or worsen respiratory conditions. Studies have shown that children with asthma who are exposed to secondhand smoke require more asthma medicines, have more emergency room visits and lower lung function.

Deaths in Michigan From Smoking

-- 14,700 adults die each year from their own smoking

-- 259,000 kids under 18 and live in Michigan will ultimately die prematurely from smoking

-- 1,570 to 2,790 adults, children, and babies die each year from others’ smoking (secondhand smoke and pregnancy smoking).

Smoking-Caused Monetary Costs in Michigan

-- $2.65 billion—Annual health care costs in Michigan directly caused by smoking

-- $881 million—Portion covered by the state Medicaid program

-- $523—Per household resident’s state and federal tax burden from smoking-caused government expenditures

-- $3.40 billion—Smoking-caused productivity losses in Michigan.

There has been some discussion of adopting smoke-free ordinances in our area. It’s likely the subject will come up again. When it does, we hope our local leaders will give it serious consideration.

It’s been done in other health-conscious communities. Why not here?