Michigan needs smoke-free workplaces
I am pleased to see that smoke-free work site legislation is once again moving in the Michigan legislature. The Michigan House of Representatives recently passed House Bill 4377. This bill would prohibit most workplace smoking, but still allow smoking in gambling areas of casinos, cigar bars, tobacco specialty retail stores, and home offices. The Senate also has a smoke-free work site bill, Senate Bill 114, which I have co-sponsored, that would create smoke-free work sites with no exemptions.
We came close to passing this legislation last year. When the bill died at the end of session in December, the debate over smoking in casinos was a major point of contention between the House and the Senate. My concern with casinos is for the employees who are exposed to secondhand smoke daily, year after year. As you know, jobs in Michigan are difficult to find right now, and many casino employees may not have other options. I think they deserve to work in a safe, smoke-free environment.
According to the American Lung Association, secondhand smoke causes approximately 3,400 lung cancer deaths and 22,700-69,600 heart disease deaths in adult non-smokers in the United States each year. A study found that non-smokers exposed to environmental smoke were 25 percent more likely to have coronary heart disease compared to non-smokers not exposed to smoke. Non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke at work are at an increased risk for adverse health effects.
If Michigan work sites were smoke-free, then workers would not have to choose between a paycheck and their health. Contrary to what some argue, smoking prohibition laws do not harm restaurant sales. In May, the University of Michigan Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy, looked at studies that were done in 24 states that have enacted such laws. They found that hospitality industry businesses saw no decline from going smoke-free. Other data from the states supports these findings. Data from the New York City Department of Finance shows that tax receipts increased by 8.7 percent, or approximately $1.4 million, after that city went smoke-free in March 2003, and 10,600 new restaurant jobs were created before the end of that year. Florida saw similar results.
Michigan has a 30-year history of enacting and updating laws to protect non-smokers. As a legislator it is my job to make sure the state is doing its duty to protect workers and citizens. There is support for these laws from the public and from health care professionals. It is time for us to finally extend our laws to protect the health of Michigan’s workers.
Sen. Scott represents the 2nd Senate District, which includes areas of Detroit and the cities of Hamtramck, Harper Woods, Highland Park and all of the Grosse Pointes. She serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Visit her online.
