[Mpls] Smoking ban in Minneapolis

[Laura Waterman Wittstock]

On Thursday, May 6, 2004, at 11:24 AM, Mike Skoglund wrote:

> For that matter, given all the arguments that are flying around, are
> there definitive answers on (1) health risks of second-hand smoke; or
> (2) the effect of a smoking ban on various businesses.
>
> I've always assumed that second-hand smoke has some sort of dangerous
> effect, but I don't know for sure.  I'd feel more comfortable  
> advocating
> a change in law based on cancer risks than stinky overcoats.
>
----------------

Two snips from the EPA site: (Note - tobacco companies attempted to sue  
EPA over this ruling but failed).

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/ 
etsbro.html#Secondhand%20smoke%20can%20cause%20lung%20cancer%20in%20nons 
mokers.

Secondhand Smoke Can Cause Lung Cancer in Nonsmokers

*	Secondhand smoke has been classified by the U.S. Environmental  
Protection Agency (EPA) as a known cause of lung cancer in humans  
(Group A carcinogen).
*	Passive smoking is estimated by EPA to cause approximately 3,000 lung  
cancer deaths in nonsmokers each year.


Secondhand Smoke is a Serious Health Risk to Children

*	The developing lungs of young children are also affected by exposure  
to secondhand smoke.
*	Infants and young children whose parents smoke are among the most  
seriously affected by exposure to secondhand smoke, being at increased  
risk of lower respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia and  
bronchitis. EPA estimates that passive smoking is responsible for  
between 150,000 and 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections in  
infants and children under 18 months of age annually, resulting in  
between 7,500 and 15,000 hospitalizations each year.
*	Children exposed to secondhand smoke are also more likely to have  
reduced lung function and symptoms of respiratory irritation like  
cough, excess phlegm, and wheeze.
*	Passive smoking can lead to buildup of fluid in the middle ear, the  
most common cause of hospitalization of children for an operation.
*	Asthmatic children are especially at risk. EPA estimates that  
exposure to secondhand smoke increases the number of episodes and  
severity of symptoms in hundreds of thousands of asthmatic children.  
EPA estimates that between 200,000 and 1,000,000 asthmatic children  
have their condition made worse by exposure to secondhand smoke.  
Passive smoking may also cause thousands of non-asthmatic children to  
develop the condition each year.

-----------------------------------
I added this snip because it is a strong personal concern. Children  
don't go into bars but they sure do go into restaurants. Their small  
lungs are far more susceptible as this quote shows.


Best,


Laura
Southeast Minneapolis



Laura Waterman Wittstock
MIGIZI Communications, Inc.
3123 East Lake Street
Minneapolis, MN 55406
612.721.6631 ext 219
wittstock at migizi.org
http://www.migizi.org