Editor,
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently published data about state and local comprehensive smoke-free laws in the United States in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. A comprehensive smoke-free law prohibits smoking in all indoor areas and protects nonsmokers from involuntary secondhand smoke exposure.
While the report notes significant progress in states and the District of Columbia adopting statewide comprehensive smoke-free laws between 2000 and 2010 — increasing from zero to 26 — there have only been two states to implement a comprehensive smoke-free law in the past six years.
Indiana is one of the 24 states that fail to protect all of its residents and workers from secondhand smoke. While the 2012 Indiana state smoke-free air law was a step forward, many Hoosiers are vulnerable to the dangers of secondhand smoke exposure.
The report also highlights the importance of smoke-free laws at the local level. When including estimates from local Indiana statewide laws, about 30 percent of Hoosiers are currently protected from secondhand smoke in all indoor venues.
Thankfully, local Indiana municipalities still have the power to protect their residents from secondhand smoke. Earlier this year, the South Bend Common Council passed a comprehensive local ordinance.
I encourage the leaders in Fishers to consider an ordinance that would protect all community residents from exposure to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is attributable to the death of 60 of the 274,569 citizens of Hamilton County with an economic impact of $90,143,748 each year, or $328 per person.
This is an opportunity for Fishers to take the lead in making Hamilton County even healthier. Let’s make smoke-free air for all a reality.
Janet Gafkjen is the director of Partnership for a Healthy Hamilton County and can be reached at 317-842-2603 or [email protected].
