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Why the Law is Needed
- The law is designed to protect workers from secondhand smoke, which can cause life-threatening disease:
- Heart Disease
- Lung Cancer
- Poor Respiratory Health
- The law will reduce the economic toll smoking exacts on Oregon.
Tobacco use cost Oregonians approximately $1.5 Billion in 1996:
| Indirect costs of lost productivity due to illness: 1 million lost days of work |
$100 million |
| Direct medical expenditure paid for by public funds (federal and state) |
$350 million |
| Direct medical expenditures paid for by private individuals and businesses |
$450 million |
| Indirect costs of lost productivity due to premature deaths |
$600 million |
| Source: Smoking-Attributable Morbidity, Mortality and Economic Costs (SAMMEC II), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
Secondhand Smoke Fact Sheet
What is Secondhand Smoke?
- Secondhand smoke includes the smoke coming from the end of the cigarette as well as the smoke exhaled by the smoker.
- Secondhand smoke contains more than 4,000 chemical compounds, including formaldehyde, cyanide, carbon monoxide, ammonia, and nicotine.
- Secondhand smoke has been classified as a Group A carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Secondhand Smoke Poses a Health Threat to Those Who Breathe It
- Secondhand smoke causes an estimated 800 deaths a year in Oregon.
- As few as 30 minutes of secondhand smoke exposure can affect a person’s breathing.
- Smoky bars and casinos have up to 50 times more airborne, cancer-causing particles than rush hour highways and city streets.
Health Effects of Secondhand Smoke in the Workplace
- Lung Cancer
Food service workers exposed to secondhand smoke at work have a 40-50% elevated risk of lung cancer, even after adjusting for active smoking.
- Heart Disease
Workers exposed to secondhand smoke have a 35-50% increased risk of heart disease. Constant exposure to secondhand smoke nearly doubles the risk of a heart attack.
- Respiratory Diseases
The effects of secondhand smoke on lung function are similar to that of light smoking and it can cause:
- Emphysema
- Chronic bronchitis
- Asthma attacks
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