WHEREAS, secondhand smoke is a leading cause of preventable death in the country, causing the deaths of 35,000 Americans each year¹ and nearly 1,220 to 2,180 North Carolina adults, children and babies²; and

WHEREAS, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified secondhand tobacco smoke as a Class A carcinogen (a known cancer causing agent), and therefore concludes that secondhand smoke is a health risk to nonsmokers³; and

WHEREAS, secondhand smoke is a public health hazard, especially to children, and has been proven to cause cancer, heart disease, stroke, emphysema, asthma and respiratory disease in both smokers and non-smokers⁴; and

WHEREAS, the majority of North Carolinians and other Americans support smoke free air in workplaces and public places and support local authority to protect public health⁵; and

WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that as little as 30 minutes of exposure to secondhand smoke can trigger a heart attack in someone with heart disease or risk factors for heart disease⁶; and

WHEREAS, no ventilation system can remove the harmful elements in secondhand smoke from the air, according to the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Condition Engineers (ASHRAE) ⁷; and

WHEREAS, smoke-free air policies do not have a negative economic impact on businesses⁸; and

WHEREAS, the majority of North Carolinians and other Americans do not smoke⁹; and

WHEREAS , smoke-free air policies have been shown to protect the public from exposure to secondhand smoke, and help smokers reduce the number of cigarettes consumed or quit entirely¹⁰; and

WHEREAS, worksites and public places are locations where children, members of the community and employees are exposed to secondhand smoke; and

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NC General Assembly will grant exemption for Mecklenburg County from GS-143-595-601.

With your help, we can make NC delegation aware of the level of support for smoke-free legislation. You can add your signature to our petition, directly from this website.

Individuals or Organizations supporting the resolution

1. National Cancer Institute. Health Effects of Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke. Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph No. 10. Bethesda, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute; 1999.
2. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids “The Toll of Tobacco in North Carolina” Fact Sheet, downloaded March 1, 2006 at: www.tobaccofreekids.org
3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency;1992. Pub. No. EPA/600/6-90/006F.
4. National Cancer Institute. Health Effects of Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke. Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph No. 10. Bethesda, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute; 1999.
5. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) survey, 1996; Zagat Survey, 1994.
6. Pechacek, TF and Babb, S How acute and reversible are the cardiovascular risks of secondhand smoke? BMJ. 2004 Apr 24;328(7446):980-3.
7. Samet, J.; Bohanon, Jr., H.R.; Coultas, D.B.; Houston, T.P.; Persily, A.K.; Schoen, L.J.; Spengler, J.; Callaway, C.A., "ASHRAE position document on environmental tobacco smoke," American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), 2005.
8. Scollo, M., Lal, A., Hyland, A., Glantz, SA. Review of the quality of studies on the economic effects of smoke-free policies on the hospitality industry. Tobacco Control, 12: 13-20, 2003.
9. Centers for Disease Prevention and Control Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2004.
10. Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Recommendations regarding interventions to reduce tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke. Am J Prev Med 2001;20(25):10-5.