Smoke-Free Illinois



Information Fact Sheets: POLICIES HEALTH ECONOMICS VENTILATION How to help: DONATE SIGN UP TELL-A-FRIEND Surgeon General’s Report on Secondhand Smoke Download By Section On June 27, 2006, the U.S. Surgeon General released the first report on secondhand smoke in more than 20 years. The report concluded that there is no safe level of secondhand smoke and the only way to fully protect non-smokers from secondhand smoke is to completely eliminate indoor smoking. Secondhand smoke has had a devastating toll on the health and safety of our country. More than 65,000 Americans die each year from exposure to secondhand smoke. In Illinois, 8 people die a day from exposure to secondhand smoke. A number of cities, states and countries have already enacted smoke-free laws to protect non-smokers from the dangers of secondhand smoke. More than 20 countries, 17 states and 28 communities and 2 counties in Illinois have already gone smoke-free. The response from citizens and business owners has been overwhelmingly positive. The Smoke-Free Illinois Coalition was established to ensure that all Illinois residents have the right to breathe clean, smoke-free air. The objective of this campaign is to educate people about the dangers of secondhand smoke and to promote a statewide, clean indoor air law that will protect the safety and health of all workers.	Policies Smoke-Free Policies are the Only Solution Passing a 100% smoke-free law that protects every person in Illinois is the only effective way of eliminating all the health dangers caused by secondhand smoke. It’s as simple as that. Many alternative ideas have been raised, but they all fall short. They fail to fully eliminate secondhand smoke and the health dangers that come with it. What if restaurants were smoke-free during the day when families and children are present, and then allowed smoking after-hours? Secondhand smoke knows no age limits. Its effects are just as harmful among adults as they are among children. The cancer-causing agents generated from second-hand smoke remain in the air for up to two weeks. So the people patronizing the restaurant in the “smoke-free” hours are still in danger from the lingering carcinogens. Just because air no longer smells like smoke, does not mean it is safe. Those who work in the restaurants after-hours have the right to a safe workplace just as much as those working during the “smoke-free” hours. Couldn’t a good ventilation system solve the problem? Ventilation systems may reduce odor, but can’t guard against secondhand smoke’s health dangers. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) that design these systems states in a report that the effects of secondhand smoke can not be controlled by ventilation. In the June 28, 2006 Surgeon General’s report, he states that the only way to fully protect non-smokers from exposure to secondhand smoke is to completely eliminate indoor smoking. For those restaurants that have bar areas, why not make the restaurant smoke-free and allow smoking in the bar? Secondhand smoke knows no boundaries. The chemicals from secondhand smoke can waft to all corners of an establishment, affecting everyone—workers and patrons alike. If employees don’t want to work in a smoky bar, then shouldn’t they find a job somewhere else? Every worker has a right to safe working conditions. One 8-hour shift in a smoky workplace is equivalent to smoking 16 cigarettes. No one should have to sacrifice his or her health for a paycheck. The health and well-being of those in the hospitality industry is no less important than those working in office buildings. Back To Top	Background Information: Facts Sheet and Q & A Douments: Smoke-Free Act FAQ General Public Guide Business Resources: Resources to Help You Go Smoke-Free Douments: Business Tips for Going Smoke Free Hospitality FAQ Smoke-Free Signage Positive Economic Data: Sales Tax Revenues Increase Douments: Economic Impact Story Springfield Tax Post SF New Survey: 73 Percent of Illinois Voters Support the Smoke Free Law! full press release and detailed results: IL Press Release IL Poll Slides Memo IL Annotated Q 68% of Illinois voters support the General Assembly's decision to implement a comprehensive clean indoor air law Click to Read