SmokeFree Air in Government Buildings

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Smoke-Free Air in Government Buildings
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Whats in Tobacco Smoke?

• Tobacco smoke contains nearly 4,000 chemical
  compounds
• At least 50 cancer-causing chemicals can be found
  in tobacco smoke
• Common chemicals found ammonia, arsenic,
  cyanide, methane, tar, carbon monoxide,
  formaldehyde, toluene, acetone, nicotine

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Health Effects of Tobacco Smoke

• Causes lung and other cancers
• Causes heart disease
• Increases risk of sudden infant death syndrome

Tobacco smoke causes an estimated 53,000
premature deaths in nonsmokers in the U.S. every
year and 853 deaths in Wisconsin.
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Health Effects of Tobacco Smoke

• Increases risk of bronchitis and pneumonia
• Reduces lung function
• Increases frequency of episodes and severity of
  symptoms in asthmatic children
• Risk factor for developing asthma

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Major Conclusions from the Surgeon General

• Secondhand smoke has an immediate adverse effect
  on the cardiovascular system
• There is no risk-free level of exposure to
  secondhand smoke
• Ventilation and non-smoking sections within
  buildings wont eliminate the smoke

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The Burden of TobaccoXXX County 2006

• XX of all deaths in XXX County are attributable
  to smoking
• XX of all lung cancer deaths and XX of other
  cancer deaths in XXXX County are caused by
  smoking
• XX million lost in XXX County due to health care
  costs and lost productivity to smoking
• (Source Burden of Tobacco, 2006)

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Written Smoke-Free Policies in Wisconsin County
and Municipal Buildings

• 2006

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Major Findings

• An estimated 46 of all municipal governments
  have written policies that ban smoking in every
  building owned or leased by the government
  entity.
• This includes 78 of counties, 71 of cities,
  54 of villages, and 38 of towns.

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Wisconsin Written Smoke-free Policies
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Northeastern Region Counties Written Smoke-free
Policies
Northeastern Region includes 17 counties in
central northeastern WI
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Northern Region Counties Written Smoke-free
Policies
Northern Region includes 15 counties in central
northern WI
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Western Region Counties Written Smoke-free
Policies
Western Region includes 19 counties in western WI
13
Southern Region Counties Written Smoke-free
Policies
Southern Region includes 13 counties in
southwestern south central WI
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Southeastern Region Counties Written Smoke-free
Policies
Southeastern Region includes 8 counties in
southeastern WI
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XXX County Written Smoke-free Policies
XXX Region includes XX counties in ______ WI
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Why Clear the Air?

• Everyone has the right to breathe smoke-free air,
  especially when they participate in local
  government
• Less cleaning and maintenance
• Reduce fire hazards
• Improved employee health productivity
• Reduce the burden of tobacco for taxpayers

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Clearing the Air

• Separation and ventilation are not options that
  protect people from secondhand smoke.
• Verbal policies are not enough
• Written policies are the best way to ensure
  continuity of smoke-free air through changes in
  personnel and administration.

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Components to Address in Smoke-Free/Tobacco
Policies

• Buildings (owned leased)
• Entrances, windows, air handling equipment
• Vehicles
• Grounds
• Disciplinary procedure for employees/Fines
• Smokeless tobacco use

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Smoke-Free Air Options to Consider

• All owned and leased buildings and vehicles are
  smoke-free
• At least 50 feet outside of entrances, windows,
  and air handling vents are smoke-free
• Grounds are smoke-free

Minimum Maximum Protection