Introducing the Secondhand Smoke Citizens Advisory Board
by Dorothy Harden…
Did you know that in 1985, Florida became the first state to strip local governments of the ability to adopt laws that restrict smoking in public places and workplaces?
Preemption of tobacco control issues is the tobacco industry’s #1 legislative goal. The industry knew that if local governments adopted smoke free laws for workplaces and public places, people would have fewer opportunities to smoke and would buy fewer cigarettes. The industry’s bottom line was in trouble! So Florida was hand-picked as the test case to see how viable PREEMPTION could be as a means to stop local communities’ progress on smoke free air. Due to Preemption, communities cannot heed public demand to close these loopholes in the state law. Local policymakers also are not permitted to adopt laws for outdoor areas where people gather and are exposed, like patios, beaches, playgrounds, and parks. Now is the time to restore local control to Florida’s communities.
Florida has been left behind and the gap is growing, 64.4% of the U.S has stronger smoke free air laws than Florida.
Did you know that Secondhand Smoke Kills 58,000 Americans each year!
Food service workers have a 50% greater risk of dying from lung cancer than the general population, in part, because of secondhand smoke exposure in the work place.
The more than 1,800 laws regulating smoking, including more than 335 that are 100% smoke-free laws, currently on the books in municipalities throughout the United States are proof that people power can overcome the money and influence of Big Tobacco.
We are a new group called “Secondhand Smoke Citizens Advisory Board” that is trying to get the word out about secondhand smoke and also try to get back local control so our city can make laws that will protect us from secondhand smoke. We need help from you/community. Please write to your local and state officials.
Mayor: Craig Cates: [email protected]
Commissioner: Mark Rossi: [email protected]
Commissioner: Teri Johnston: [email protected]
Commissioner: Clayton Lopez: [email protected]
Commissioner: Billy Wardlow: [email protected]
Commissioner: Jimmy Weekey: [email protected]
Commissioner: Tony Yaniz: [email protected]
Contact Dottie Harden, Chair Person Secondhand Smoke Citizens Advisory Board, [email protected]
For more information please go to, http://protectlocalcontrol.org/ and www.no-smoke.org