U.S. SURGEON GENERAL REPORT: ANY SECONDHAND SMOKE EXPOSURE UNHEALTHY ICAT Urges Communities to Take Action as Illinois Governor Amends Clean Indoor Air Act           June 27, 2006 – Springfield, Ill. – The Illinois Coalition Against Tobacco today urged communities throughout Illinois to enact comprehensive local clean indoor air laws, in light of findings from the nationwide report, The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General – 2006. “This report is a wake-up call to Illinois communities to demand comprehensive, 100 percent smoke-free laws from their local officials,” said Diana Hackbarth, R.N., Ph.D. and Chairwoman of the Illinois Coalition Against Tobacco (ICAT). Today’s report, 20 years after the first U.S. Surgeon General’s report on the dangers of secondhand smoke, finds that secondhand smoke is even more dangerous than previously thought. The report’s six major findings relate to toxicology, health consequences and how best to control exposure to secondhand smoke: The scientific evidence that secondhand smoke causes serious diseases, including lung cancer, heart disease and respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis and asthma, is massive and conclusive. There is no longer a scientific controversy or any scientific debate. There is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Exposure to secondhand smoke has substantial and immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. Establishing smoke-free workplaces is the only effective way to ensure that secondhand smoke exposure does not occur in the workplace. Smoke-free workplace policies are effective in reducing secondhand smoke exposure. Separating smokers from nonsmokers in the same air space, cleaning the air and ventilating buildings are not effective at eliminating exposure of nonsmokers to secondhand smoke. Smoke-free policies and regulations do not have an adverse economic impact on the hospitality industry. The findings in the Surgeon General's Report clearly demonstrate that the scientific evidence linking secondhand smoke to lung cancer, heart disease and respiratory illness is indisputable,” said Harold P. Wimmer, President and CEO, American Lung Association of Illinois. “The report shows that there are no safe levels of exposure to secondhand smoke and no ventilation systems that can completely eliminate secondhand smoke exposure,” he said. Nationwide Trend Today, 14 states (compared to just two states four years ago) and hundreds of municipalities nationwide have already passed more protective smoke-free air laws. Elected officials throughout the country are realizing that voters want and truly support these laws. In Illinois, six communities (Bedford Park, Chicago, Deerfield, Highland Park, Park Ridge and Wilmette) have passed and enacted comprehensive smoke-free laws without any exemptions; an additional 13 municipalities have passed local laws to be enacted in the coming days and months. To date, only 45 percent of the population in Illinois is protected by smoke-free laws. “Armed with this new report detailing even more evidence of the harms caused by secondhand smoke, every elected leader with the power to do something should act now and protect their public's health with comprehensive clean indoor air policy,” said Javette Orgain, M.D., Illinois Academy of Family Physicians Second Vice President. Smoke-free Workplaces Protect Workers Restaurant, bar and hospitality workers are exposed to the highest levels of secondhand smoke of any occupational or demographic group. "Comprehensive clean indoor air laws help protect the thousands of food preparation and service occupations workers in Illinois ," said Joel Africk, CEO, American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago. "These workers should be given the same protection as white collar workers – 75 percent of whom are protected by smoke-free policies compared to only 43 percent of the nation's restaurant, bar and hospitality workers," said Africk. Research shows that workers exposed to secondhand smoke on a daily basis are 20–30 percent more likely to develop cancer than other workers. In fact, working one eight-hour shift in a smoky workplace is equivalent to smoking 16 cigarettes. Businesses – particularly restaurants and bars – recognize the benefits of stronger clean indoor air laws, which include fewer employee sick days, reduced insurance costs and in many cases, revenue increases. “This latest report provides further validation about the dangers of secondhand smoke exposure to the healthy functioning of the cardiovascular system,” says Almarie Wagner, Executive Vice President, American Heart Association, Greater Midwest Affiliate. “We have now heard from the nation's top doctor that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke and that smoke-free workplace policies are effective in reducing exposure to this toxin,” she said. About the Illinois Coalition Against Tobacco The Illinois Coalition Against Tobacco (ICAT) led by the American Lung Association, American Heart Association and the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians, includes more than 75 additional organizations and individuals working together to reduce tobacco use in Illinois. The organization's mission is to promote public policies that prevent the health and social consequences of tobacco use. For more information, visit www.ilcat.org . For more information on the Surgeon General's report, visit http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/secondhandsmoke/               Smokefree Milestones 1969 Pan American Airlines becomes first airline to create a nonsmoking section on planes; TWA and United follow shortly.     1973 The first federal restriction regarding secondhand smoke is put into place when the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) requires all airlines to create no smoking sections.     1975 Smoking in schools, hospitals, museums, libraries and other public places banned in Italy.     1975 Minnesota passes the first state law restricting smoking in the United States . It prohibits smoking in public places except designated smoking areas. It is the first law to separate smokers from nonsmokers.     1982 U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop releases a report stating that exposure to secondhand smoke may cause lung cancer.     1986 U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop issues landmark report The Health Consequences of Involuntary Smoking, A Report of the Surgeon General. The report finds exposure to secondhand smoke can cause lung cancer in nonsmokers and increased incidences of respiratory disease in children whose parents smoke.     1987 Smoking banned on domestic flights shorter than two hours in length.     1990 San Luis Obispo , CA bans smoking in all public businesses, including restaurants and bars. It is the first city in the world to do so.     1990 Smoking ban goes into effect on all domestic flights of less than six hours, except to Alaska and Hawaii.     1993 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issues landmark report Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Diseases. The report states that secondhand smoke is a Class-A (human) carcinogen.     1993 Vermont becomes the first state to prohibit smoking in most public places, including restaurants.     1994 California and Utah pass laws prohibiting smoking in most public places, including restaurants.     1997 A report by the California Environmental Protection Agency states that secondhand smoke causes at least 38,000 deaths from lung cancer and heart disease annually.     1997 President Clinton issues an Executive Order making all federal executive office buildings smokefree.     1998 California smokefree air law goes into effect for bars.     2000 Smoking is prohibited on all airline flights between the United States and foreign destinations.     2002 Delaware , as well as Boston , MA and New York City , pass smokefree air laws, which extend to restaurants and bars.     2003 Connecticut , New York and Maine pass smokefree air laws.     2004 Ireland becomes the first country to go smokefree. Massachusetts and Rhode Island pass smokefree air laws.     2005 Vermont and Montana pass smokefree air laws.1      2006 Colorado , the District of Columbia , Hawaii , New Jersey , Puerto Rico and Utah pass smokefree air laws. 2  Fourteen states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have passed comprehensive smokefree air laws.     June 27, 2006 U.S. Surgeon General releases new report on secondhand smoke, The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke .     1 Montana 's law takes full effect October 1, 2009.     2 Colorado 's law takes until July 1. The District of Columbia 's law takes full effect January 1, 2007 . Hawaii 's law takes effect November 16, 2006 . Puerto Rico 's law takes effect in March 2007. Utah 's law takes full effect January 1, 2009.