Get the Facts

• Secondhand smoke contains at least 400 chemicals known to be toxic, including more than 50 that can cause cancer.

• According to the U.S. Surgeon General, there is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke exposure. Even brief exposure can be dangerous.

• The results of all credible peer-reviewed studies show that smokefree policies and regulations do not have a negative impact on business revenues. Establishing smoke-free workplaces is the simplest and most cost effective way to improve worker and business health.

• Ventilation is not a means to protect workers or patrons from exposure to secondhand smoke. The U.S. Surgeon General has determined that there is no “risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke” and that separating smokers from nonsmokers, air cleaning technologies, and ventilating buildings cannot eliminate secondhand smoke exposure, stating that conventional air cleaning systems cannot remove all the poisons, toxins, gases, and particles found in secondhand smoke. Additionally, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems can distribute secondhand smoke throughout a building.

• Like flight attendants 20 years ago, bar workers and card dealers do their job in a contained environment where they stay in a small area for many hours just a foot or two away from burning cigarettes.

Bar & Restaurant Employees:

• Food service workers have a 50% greater risk of dying from lung cancer than the general population, in part, because of secondhand smoke exposure in the workplace.¹

• Average cotinine levels (metabolized nicotine) of New York City restaurant and bar workers decreased by 85% after the city’s smokefree law went into effect.²

• In New York state, the number of hospitality workers who reportedly experienced irritation of the eye, nose, and throat declined by 62%, 34%, and 45%, respectively. Before the state law went into effect, 59% of hospitality workers reported respiratory symptoms, such as morning cough, shortness of breath, or bringing up phlegm. After the smokefree law took effect, the number of workers who reportedly experienced morning cough dropped by 46%.³

• Hair nicotine levels in both smoking and nonsmoking restaurant and bar workers dropped by 56% after Lexington, Kentucky’s smokefree law went into effect. Given that the number of cigarettes smoked on a typical day did not change from April 2004, when the smoke-free law went into effect, to when the study was conducted, the authors attribute this decline in hair nicotine to a decrease in exposure to secondhand smoke in the workplace. Workers also reported fewer colds and sinus infections.⁴

Casino Employees:

• Casino workers are at greater risk for lung and heart disease because of secondhand smoke exposure.⁵

• Casino workers in a “well-ventilated” casino had cotinine (metabolized nicotine) levels 300-600% higher than in other smoking workplaces during a work shift.⁶

CITATIONS:

1 Shopland, D.R.; Anderson, C.M.; Burns, D.M.; Gerlach, K.K., “Disparities in smoke-free workplace policies among food service workers,” Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 46(4): 347-356, April 2004.) (Siegel, M. “Involuntary Smoking in Restaurant Workplace: A Review of Employee Exposure and Health Effects.” JAMA,270:490-493, 1993. Available at:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8320789&dopt=Abstract.

2 [n.a.], “The State of Smoke-Free New York City: A One Year Review,” New York City Department of Finance, New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, New York City Department of Small Business Services, New York City EconomicDevelopment Corporation, March 2004. Accessed in April 2005. Download at http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/pdf/smoke/sfaa-2004report.pdf.

3 RTI International, “First Annual Independent Evaluation of New York’s Tobacco Control Program,” New York State Department of Health, November 2004. Accessed on November 29, 2004. Download at http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/tobacco/reports/docs/nytcp_eval_report_final_11-19-04.pdf.

4 Hahn, E.J.; Rayens, M.K.; York, N.; Dignan, M.; Al-Delaimy, W.K., “Secondhand smoke exposure in restaurant and bar workers before and after Lexington’s smoke-free ordinance,” University of Kentucky, College of Nursing, July 5, 2005. Available at:http://www.no-smoke.org/pdf/hairstudyreportfinal.pdf.

5 Curran, J., “For casino workers, smoke study underscores hazard,” Newsday/AP, October 17, 2004.

6 Trout D.; Decker J.; Mueller C.; Bernert J.T.; Pirkle J., “Exposure of casino employees to environmental tobacco smoke,” JOEM. 1998 March;40(3): 270-6. Accessed on May 20, 2004. Download at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9531098&dopt=Abstract