100% Clean Indoor Air
A fresh idea for a healthier future.
In Oklahoma, indoor exposure to secondhand smoke continues to be a serious health problem. How is this still an issue in 2020? One major reason is that Oklahoma lacks a comprehensive smokefree policy.
Right now, it’s still legal to smoke in Oklahoma hotels and bars — even in-home daycares when children aren’t present. We are one of the only states without 100% smokefree policies in these environments.
Secondhand smoke contains thousands of toxic chemicals, 70 of which are known to cause cancer. It also elevates employees’ risk of developing heart disease, respiratory diseases and other deadly health issues. Bars and clubs, where numerous people are smoking in the same vicinity, make for a seriously toxic environment. That’s not OK.
The simplest, cheapest and most effective way to protect people from secondhand smoke is through 100% clean indoor air policies.
HEALTH BENEFITS
A healthier environment means a healthier workforce and reduced health care costs. Smoking costs Oklahoma businesses $5,816 per smoker per year. A smokefree business rids the air of secondhand smoke, protecting the health of both employees and patrons.
ECONOMIC BENEFITS
Business owners who are wary of smokefree policies often cite a fear of losing revenue. However, using sales tax data and other objective criteria, numerous studies have found no adverse effects from going smokefree. There has even been a tendency for smokefree policies to increase business.
Plus, going smokefree means lowered maintenance costs.
PROOF IT WORKS
Other states that have enacted 100% clean indoor air policies have seen these health and economic benefits firsthand.
In Washington state, two years after a comprehensive state smokefree law took effect, an analysis of statewide retail sales data found that sales revenues for bars and taverns were $105.5 million higher than expected.
During the first year after North Carolina passed a smokefree restaurants and bars law, the average number of weekly emergency room visits for heart attacks dropped by 21%.
77% of Oklahomans favor a law making all public places smokefree.
Achieving an Oklahoma with clean indoor air is well within reach. The benefits of comprehensive smokefree policies are clear — not only for our health but also for local businesses. The time to take action is now.
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