Posted on 01/10/2007 9:32:36 AM PST by Ellesu
Speaker Pelosi Delivers Victory for the Right to Breathe Clean, Smoke-Free Air Says Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement by William V. Corr, Executive Director, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids:
By declaring the Speaker's Lobby of the U.S. Capitol to be smoke-free, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi today sent a powerful message to the nation about the serious dangers of secondhand smoke and the need to protect everyone's right to breathe clean, smoke-free air. From office buildings to restaurants and bars to the Capitol of the United States, all workers and the public should be protected from secondhand smoke. Speaker Pelosi's action today is consistent with Washington, D.C.'s new smoke-free workplace law. We urge all members of Congress to show the same consideration for the health and safety of their employees and adopt smoke-free policies in their offices and throughout the U.S. Capitol complex.
Speaker Pelosi's action is an appropriate response to the overwhelming and ever-growing evidence that secondhand smoke poses a serious threat to human health. As the U.S. Surgeon General concluded in a landmark report last year, "The debate is over. The science is clear: Secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance, but a serious health hazard that causes premature death and disease in children and nonsmoking adults." The Surgeon General found that secondhand smoke is a proven cause of lung cancer, heart disease, serious respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis and asthma, low birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome. The Surgeon General also found that secondhand smoke is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths in the United States each year; there is no safe level of exposure; only smoke-free policies provide effective protection; and smoke-free laws protect health without harming business.
Speaker Pelosi's action adds momentum to already powerful efforts to enact smoke-free laws around the country. Sixteen states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico have passed strong smoke-free workplace laws that include restaurants and bars. The states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont and Washington (the Montana and Utah laws extend to bars in 2009). Four other states -- Florida, Idaho, Louisiana and Nevada -- have smoke-free laws that exempt only stand-alone bars. Hundreds of cities and counties across the country have also taken action.
These laws reflect both the broad scientific consensus that secondhand smoke poses a serious threat to health and the broad public consensus that no one should have to endure these risks in order to earn a living. It is time for every state and community to protect the public's right to breathe clean air by enacting comprehensive smoke-free laws that include all workplaces and public places.
My God, if these socialists are so concerned about second hand smoke et al, they should declare that cigarettes are illegal and should be designated as a controlled substance.
Next I expect Ms. Pelosi to tell my which cooking oil I should use.
Jeepers, how did I live all these years without her advice?
Taking a huge breath of air on that super-clean (sarc) DC (HOT) air is more harmful to the human body than second-hand smoke..
just wait on the cooking oil, it's coming..
That must be what she means when she speaks about being Pro Choice. Her choice!
Crack down on pot first, make it a massive felony pelosi.
Oh, no.. There would go your base.
But it's OK to inject toxins into your face?
I have never seen any scientific data supporting this contention...wonder who's hiding the evidence?
"These laws reflect both the broad scientific consensus that secondhand smoke poses a serious threat to health and the broad public consensus that no one should have to endure these risks in order to earn a living."
What risks, exactly, do they experience? That's what I thought.
Just curious, don't all the burning trees and houses in California put off smoke? Perhaps if they tended that land like good stewards, they wouldn't burn down 1/4 of California every year.
Stupid, agenda-driven, hypocritical, "scientfic consensus", controlling, nanny-state BS.
THe World Health Organization contradicts what is said in this article. If second hand smoke is soooooooooo dangerous, why are there so many "baby boomers" retiring and going to bankrup social security? SHouldn't all the baby boomers be pushing up daisies by now?
Comrade Pelosi's base can still smoke dope though, right?
Isn't Barack Obama a smoker?:
It's not about dying. Everybody's gonna croak. It's about the size of the bill you ring up on the way out. And smokers do tend to run up higher bills.
"Palomino"
Puff Ping. Wonder how good those certain FReepers feel with being on the same side of Pelosi.
Guess we should ban pro football too.
ML/NJ
Ms. Pelosi, MIND YOUR OWN GDB. We do not need a botox infested mama telling us what our rights are.
"Palomino!"
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