Urge Mecklenburg Delegates to bring local control back to Mecklenburg County!

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• Good for Health - the Surgeon General's report in June 2006 clearly stated that there is NO safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.
  • Secondhand smoke (SHS) is a very serious health hazard, causing 40,000+ deaths a year.
  • There is no substitute for smoke-free air; separate ventilation does not work.
  • The CDC recently warned those with heart disease to avoid ALL SHS.
  
  
• Good for Business
  • All scientifically designed studies show no negative impact of smoke free air policies on restaurant sales, and many have shown increased sales revenues!
  • In a recent independent poll of Mecklenburg County registered voters, 75.5% wanted smoke free workplaces.
  
  
• The public supports a smoke-free atmosphere
  • Only 20% of citizens in Mecklenburg are smokers and 80% of them tried to quit or were told to quit by a doctor last year.
  
  
• Return control to local government!
  

• Smoke free air ordinances help:
  • To keep nonsmokers (especially children) from starting to smoke
  • Encourage smokers to quit
  • Protect nonsmokers from the dangers of secondhand smoke.
  
  
• Mecklenburg County is already a leader in promoting the health of its citizens
  
• Many other cities, states, and countries are passing smoke-free ordinances
  
• Current NC Law prohibits local governments from making their own decisions regarding protecting citizens from SHS