State Issue 5: Explanation and Argument in Support
VOTE YES ON ISSUE 5
Protect your right to breathe smoke-free air inside all restaurants, public places and workplaces.
Secondhand Smoke Kills
The U.S. Surgeon General reports that:
- Secondhand smoke causes cancer, heart disease, and lung disease in nonsmokers.
- There is no safe level of exposure.
- The only way to protect health is to eliminate smoking inside public places.
- Separate smoking sections do not protect health.
- Smoke-free policies do not harm business.
For these reasons, the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, and American Lung Association have joined with doctors, hospitals and every major health organization in Ohio to urge a YES vote on Issue 5.
What the SmokeFree Workplace Act will do:
- Eliminate secondhand smoke in all public places and workplaces
- Offer equal protection against secondhand smoke to all workers and customers
- Create one fair, level playing field for all businesses
Studies show nonsmokers inhale the equivalent of one and a half cigarettes just by sitting in a restaurant's non-smoking section for two hours. This state law allows children, the elderly, and those with health problems to enjoy restaurants and other public places without jeopardizing their health.
Simply asking smokers to step outside public places will protect the health of the nonsmokers around them and allow all Ohioans to enjoy their favorite places together.
What the SmokeFree Workplace Act will not do:
- SmokeFreeOhio does NOT amend the Constitution.
- The law does NOT prohibit smoking in private residences, vehicles, or outdoors.
Twenty-one Ohio communities and 14 states have strong, successful smoke-free laws in place. The time has come to vote to stop this preventable health hazard and improve the health of all Ohio residents.
Vote YES on Issue 5 so Ohio can breathe smoke-free!
Submitted by SmokeFreeOhio, Donald McClure, Susan Jagers, and Tracy Sabetta