The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released information on November 15, 2012 that indicated 60 percent of America’s biggest cities are now smoke-free.
According to a study thirty of America’s 50 largest cities are now covered by laws that prohibit smoking in all indoor areas of private workplaces, restaurants, and bars. By late 2000 only one of the 50 largest cities was covered by such a law. As of Oct 15, 2012, 16 of the 50 largest cities were covered by local comprehensive smoke free laws and 14 more were covered by state comprehensive smoke free laws.
There is almost half of Americans that are protected by state or local laws of this kind. What this means is that smoke free laws reduce exposure to secondhand smoke, reduce smoking, and improve health. Thomas R. Frieden M.D., M.P.H. CDC Director stated, “Communities have made tremendous progress eliminating smoking from worksites and public places in 60 percent of big cities in the United States. Smoke free laws save lives and don’t hurt business. If we can protect workers and the public in the remaining 20 largest cities, 16 million people would be better protected from cancer and heart disease caused by secondhand smoke.”
Tim McAfee, M.D. director of CDC’s office on Smoking and health says, “Hundreds of cities and counties have passed their own smoke free laws, including many communities in the south. If we continue to progress as we have since 2000, all Americans could be protected from secondhand smoke exposure in workplaces and public places by 2020.”
The 2006 Surgeon General’s Report concluded that there is no rick free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke causes heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmoking adults and is a known cause of sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS, respiratory problems, ear infections, and asthma attacks in infants and children. These things can be avoided with help from drug rehabilitation programs. Cigarette use kills an estimated 443,000 Americans each year.
All of this is wonderful information about smoking and why you should quit. If you need abuse solutions, contact us.
Drug Rehab by State