LANSING – Speaker Pro Tempore Pam Byrnes (D-Lyndon Township) has voted in favor of legislation that would make Michigan the 37th state to ban smoking in most indoor places, including bars and restaurants. The move comes amid ever increasing evidence of the negative public health impact of secondhand smoke. The plan, which passed 73-31, now heads to the Senate for approval.
"The health of our families must always come first," Byrnes said. "With the negative health effects of exposure to secondhand smoke well-known, we need laws that stand up for our residents and protect them from this health hazard. This plan drastically reduces the number of our workers and families exposed to this dangerous carcinogen."
Secondhand smoke is classified as a Group A carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Exposure to secondhand smoke can cause or exacerbate a wide range of health problems, including cancer, respiratory infections, and asthma, according to the American Lung Association (ALA).
The ALA reports that secondhand smoke causes approximately 3,400 lung cancer deaths and 46,000 heart disease deaths in
adult nonsmokers in the United States each year, and that nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke at work are at
increased risk for health problems.
Secondhand smoke is especially harmful to children, the ALA reports. It is responsible for up to 300,000 lower
respiratory tract infections in kids under 18 months of age, resulting in up to 15,000 hospitalizations a year. It
causes 430 sudden infant death syndrome deaths in the U.S. annually, the ALA reports. In addition, new evidence links
increases in the number of asthma cases in children to secondhand smoke exposure.
Thirty-six states have passed laws prohibiting smoking in almost all public places and workplaces. The plan passed Tuesday exempts certain cigar bars and tobacco specialty retail stores because those businesses feature smoking as the primary source of their commerce. The plan also exempts casinos, which would face competitive disadvantages with tribal casinos that would threaten their viability.