SmokeFreeOhio Turns in Petitions for Statewide Law

Columbus - November 17, 2005: On the day of the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout, the SmokeFreeOhio campaign turned in more than 165,000 signatures from Ohio voters to the Secretary of State to pass a statewide, smoke-free workplace act. SmokeFreeOhio is asking lawmakers to allow the issue to go to the statewide ballot next November. SmokeFreeOhio is prepared to collect a second round of signatures to place the measure on the ballot.

“Every Ohioan has the right to breathe clean indoor air, and every Ohioan should have the right to vote on it,” said Tracy Sabetta, spokesperson for SmokeFreeOhio. “We have the signatures of 165,000 Ohio voters who want a chance to vote on this strong, statewide, clean indoor air law.”

Secondhand smoke causes serious diseases including cancer, heart disease and lung disease. One person who knows this all too well is Carmen Grudier of Byesville, Ohio. She never smoked, but her exposure to secondhand smoke led to throat cancer.

“The dreams and plans I had for my life went out the door in a matter of seconds. This was no fault of my own. I chose not to smoke. Today we have to choose not to be surrounded by secondhand smoke as well,” Grudier said.

Smoke-free policies allow children, the elderly, and those with health problems to enjoy public places without putting their health at risk. The American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, the Association of Ohio Health Commissioners, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the Ohio Hospital Association, the Ohio State Medical Association, and more than 170 Ohio organizations support smoke-free public places because they protect Ohioans from secondhand smoke.

Ohio showed strong support for a smoke-free Ohio. Voters from all 88 counties signed petitions. More than 1,200 volunteers and staff gathered the majority of the signatures, an unprecedented grassroots event.

Gary Richmond, owner of Johnny Mango World Café and Bar in Cleveland and Willoughby, was one of those volunteers. He found going smoke-free helped his employees, customers, and his bottom line.

"In the first six months after going smoke-free, Johnny Mango saw a sales spike of over nine percent,” Richmond said. “This revenue increase is nearly identical to what has occurred on a larger scale in New York and Massachusetts."

At least 21 Ohio cities have passed laws to protect residents from secondhand smoke. However, only a statewide law can protect all Ohioans from this hazard. When voters approve the initiative in 2006, Ohio will join ten other states with strong clean indoor air laws.

All major health organizations, including the U.S. Surgeon General, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health, the World Health Organization, the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association, the American Heart Association, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognize that secondhand smoke poses a health hazard to nonsmokers.

The CDC takes the risk of secondhand smoke triggering a heart attack so seriously, it recommends anyone with heart disease avoid any building where smoking is permitted. Workers exposed to secondhand smoke are 34 percent more likely to develop lung cancer, according to the CDC. The U.S. EPA says there is no safe level of exposure. Asking smokers to step outside will save lives.

Timeline

Jan. 2006: The statewide smoke-free law goes before the Ohio General Assembly.

May 2006: Volunteers and staff will collect another 96,780 signatures to put the issue on the November ballot.

Nov. 7, 2006: Voters decide to protect everyone’s right to breathe clean air! The law takes effect 30 days after the election.