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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0013.076 2002-2004 t:~c;~nwNy , C;ountx Cound, HAWAII STATE DEPA RTMENT OF HEALTH Hawaii County Council County of Hawaii Bill for An Ordinance to Amend Chapter 14, (General Welfare) of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (1995 Edition), As Amended, Relating to Smoking in Certain Places in the County of Hawaii Testimony of Julian Lipsher, MPH Tobacco Prevention & Education Program May 6, 2003 Purpose: This measure proposes to amend Chapter 14, Article 4, of County of Hawaii Code, Relating to smoking to prohibit smoking in certain areas within the County of Hawaii, including restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and bowling alleys, supermarkets, common areas, any enclosed or partially enclosed area or building owned, leased, operated or maintained by the County (except residential dwellings), vehicles owned or leased by the County, and private residences licensed for child care, adult day care or health care facility. Department's Position: The Department of Health supports the proposed bill which provides protections for all employees and the general public from the hazardous effects of secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS). The Department of Health recognizes the serious public health implications caused by the involuntary exposure to individuals, both employees and to patrons, from SHS. The department further recognizes the need to increase and expand the public health protections to improve indoor air quality in all workplaces. Results of the Department of Health 2001 statewide Adult Tobacco Survey indicate that eight in ten adults in both East and West Hawaii would strongly support a county law protecting non-smoking employees in the workplace. Tobacco use affects everyone. Secondhand smoke is a major preventable cause of disease and death. Every time someone lights a cigarette near you they are potentially harming your health. More than 430,000 Americans and almost 1,100 Hawaii residents die each year from tobacco related causes. In Hawaii, cigarette smoking causes more premature deaths each year, (before the age of 65), ~L Comm. No. v Ref. To: Cry Ref. Date Bill for An Ordinance to Amend Chapter 14 of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (1995 Edition) May 6, 2003 Page 2 of 3 than all of the following causes of death together: AIDS, drug abuse, alcohol, and all unintentional injury (motor vehicle, drowning, and falls) as well as all intentional injury (suicide and homicide). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified secondhand smoke as a Class A carcinogen, the same cancer causing agent as asbestos and benzene. Nationally, secondhand smoke is responsible for 53,000 deaths annually, 3,000 of those are from lung cancer, and the other are from cardiovascular disease, other respiratory diseases, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and fires. Exposure to secondhand smoke increases the frequency of episodes and severity of symptoms in asthmatic children and adults. There is also a shared economic impact. Smoking costs $130 billion a year nationwide and $525 million in Hawaii in medical care and lost worker productivity. Exposure to secondhand smoke is three to five times as great in restaurants as compared to the typical workplace without smoking restrictions. Waiters and waitresses are one and a half to two times as likely to die from lung cancer caused by secondhand smoke than most other workers. JAMA, 1993. Restaurants that have separate smoking and nonsmoking sections cannot eliminate exposure to the toxins from secondhand smoke. CDC, 1993. The EPA has determined that secondhand smoke cannot be reduced to safe levels in businesses by high rates of ventilation; therefore air cleaners, which are only capable of filtering the particulate matter and odors in smoke, do not eliminate the known toxins in secondhand smoke. Numerous scientific studies based on restaurant sales tax receipts prove that smoke-free restaurant ordinances have no negative effect on restaurant sales. Over 400 municipalities across the country, now including Honolulu, Maui and most recently Kauai, as well as California, Vermont, Utah, Maine, and Delaware, have successfully enacted clean indoor air ordinances to eliminate smoking in restaurants. We commend the Hawaii County Council for developing a comprehensive bill to create a high community standard for the people of Hawaii County. We encourage passage of a bill that will provide significant public health protections to improve indoor air quality in all workplaces which would advance the Bill for An Ordinance to Amend Chapter 14 of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (1995 Edition) May 6, 2003 Page 3 of 3 Hawaii County Council's record of promoting and protecting the public's health in moving Hawaii forward towards becoming the "The Health State". Thank you for this opportunity to testify.