HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0013.034 2002-2004 American Heart
Association.
The American Heart Fighting Heart DiaaaSa antl Stroke
Association mission is:
To retluce disability antl death $arvin Hawaii
from cardiovascular diseases jESTMONY SUPPORTING BILL 260 g
and stroke.
SMOKING IN CERTAIN PLACES Hard Coop to Follow
Agri] 30, 2003
Ur. Fred Holschuh, Chair of Human Services & Economic Development Committee
Dear Dr. Holschuh,
The American Heart Association of Hawaii supports the intent of Hawaii County's
proposed workplace smoking restrictions.
Constant exposure to environmental tobacco smoke - in the workplace or home -nearly
doubles the nsk of having a heart attack, according to a landmark study of more than
32,000 women. The study was published in the May 1997 issue of Circulation, an
American I~Icart Association scientific journal.
In 1992 the American Heari Association's Council on Cardiopulmonary and Critical Care
concluded that environmental tobacco smoke is a major preventable cause of
cardiovascular disease and death. The statement urges that environmental smoke be
treated as an environmental toxin, and that ways be found to protect workers and the
sen,~ng Hawaii since lsas public from this health hazard.
For information on the AHA's
educational or research E'I'S contains more than 4,000 chemicals and at least 40 known carcinogens. Nicotine,
Programs, contact your the addictive dru * contained in tobacco, leads to acute inrneases in heart rate and blood
nearest AHA office, b
or visit our web sde at pressure. Cigarette smoking also increases platelet aggregation, or blood clotting. It also
www ailioncanhean ory dama es the endothelium, the ]a er of cells that lines all bloud vessels, includin the
or e-mail us at g Y g
Hawaii@hean.org coronary arteries. Also. nonsmokers who have high blood pressure or high blood
cholesterol are at even greater risk of developing heart diseases from exposure to ETS.
Oahu'
245 N. Kukui Street, Ste. 204
Honoluw, Hl ssan~sae The 1986 Report of the Surgeon General, as well as studies by the National Academy of
Phone: soasaa-7s21 Sciences (NAS), thoroughly document the health hazards posed by passive smoking.
Fax 808-538-3443
Maui ce°nqc A January ] 991 repurt published iu Circttlaiion died a set of epidemiological studies
J. Walter Cameron Center
s5 Manalaoi simet, No. 13 linking heart disease with passive exposure to tobacco smoke. The report concluded
walwkLL Hl ss7s3-25se that exposure to environmental tobacco smoking causes about 10 times as many
Pnone. aoa-zaaala5 deaths from heart and blood vessel diseases as it does from cancer.
Fax. 808-242-1857
east Hawan: A June 1991 re ort on atisive smoke in the work lace, ublished b the National
aoa Hualani Street, Ste. 15 P P' ~ ~ P " P Y
wlo, Hi ss7zo-a3a4 Institute for Oceupational Safety and Health, said that "the risk of developing cancer
Phona, soa-ssvzeze should be decreased by minimizing exposure" to environmental tobacco smoke.
Fax. ass-ssl-zaz7
a~~a~~ shauna busek@nean org Employers should assess conditions that may result in worker exposure to passive smoke
and take steps to reduce exposures to the lowest feasible concentration. The best way to
West Hawaii:
7a-55aa Pawai Place. eldg. H control workers' exposure to tobacco smoke is to eliminate tobacco use from the
Kaaua-Kona, Hl sa7ao-31 as workplace and to implement a smoking cessation program.
Phone' 808-329-0783
Fax'. 808-329-0784 '
Kauai: ComM. "'III
Po Sox 1214 Ref. T .
Lihue, Hl 96766-5214 R:{. 'vote ~
Phone'. 808-245-7311
Fax 808-245-7311
In addition to reducing health threats to non-smoking employees and patrons of Hawaii
County workplaces, the proposed legislation would be one more step toward the de-
socialization of tobacco. By eliminating tobacco use in workplace environments you will
be sending a message to youths and potential adult smokers that smoking is not a socially
acceptable practice. Cigarette smoking is the most important preventable cause of
premature death in the United States. It accounts for about 430,700 of the more than 2
million annual deaths in the U.S. Cigarette smokers have a greater risk of developing
chronic disorders such as atherosclerosis, several types of cancer and chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular (disease (clogged arteries) is the chief
contributor to the excess deaths from smoking. Many studies detail the evidence that
cigarette smoking is a major cause of coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attack.
Please support strong, effective workplace smoking restriction legislation. It's time has
come.
Respectfully submitted,
r
Shauna Tuohy Busek
American Heart Association
East Hawaii Division Director