The American Heart Association joins with New Jersey BREATHES, a statewide New Jersey tobacco control coalition comprising more than 45 leading state, health, nonprofit and civic organizations, to call upon our legislators and Gov. James E. McGreevey to remove smoking in all indoor public workplaces, including those workplaces with fewer than 50 employees.
Environmental tobacco smoke, also referred to as secondhand smoke, is New Jersey’s ‘biggest workplace health hazard."
It’s time for New Jersey to replicate the smoke-free indoor air legislation introduced by New York City, Delaware and California.
According to New Jersey BREATHES, 96 percent of New Jersey’s work sites employ between one and 49 employees, yet New Jersey has no state or local policies to protect those employees from the deadly health hazard of secondhand smoke.
Secondhand smoke kills approximately 53,000 Americans each year. The American Heart Association estimates that 37,000 to 40,000 nonsmokers die from cardiovascular disease each year as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke.
Being in a smoke-filled room is worse than smoking a cigarette. The smoke from the tip of a cigarette is 20 times more dangerous than what a smoker inhales.
Our citizens and our New Jersey labor force are the Garden State’s greatest resources. Shouldn’t we be doing everything possible to protect the health of our workers and citizens?
No one should have to risk his or her life to earn a living. The American Heart Association joins with New Jersey BREATHES to support an effective smoke-free policy that would:
• Remove smoking in all indoor places, including worksites with fewer than 50 employees, to protect the public and the workers;
• Include provisions that allow towns to strengthen the statewide, smoke-free law if so desired; and
• Grant enforcement authority to the Department of Health and Senior Services and local public health officials.
Secondhand smoke kills.
During November and Smoking Awareness Month, we encourage more New Jersey businesses, large and small, including restaurants, bowling alleys, bars and other small businesses, to "kick the habit" and go smoke-free.
Support New Jersey clean indoor air legislation. For more information, call the American Heart Association at 1-800-AHA-USA1.
Charles A. Dennis, M.D.
chairman
Department of Cardiology
Deborah Heart & Lung Center
Browns Mills section
of Pemberton