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Michigan Celebrates Victory on Comprehensive Smoke-Free Law
December 18, 2009
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm today signed legislation into law making almost all workplaces in the state, including all restaurants and bars, smoke-free. The new law, which was passed by the Michigan legislature Dec.10, will go into effect on May 1, 2010.
The smoke-free law will apply to all bars, restaurants and work places, except for the gaming floors of existing casinos, cigar bars and tobacco specialty stores. Although smoking will be allowed on casino gaming floors, it will be banned in the casinosÈ bars, restaurants and hotels.
The smoke-free trend has accelerated in recent years. Currently, 31 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico require 100 percent smoke-free workplaces and/or restaurants and/or bars. Additionally, more than 3,000 municipalities have local laws in effect that restrict where smoking is permitted. Combined, this represents more than two-thirds of the U.S. population.
In the past year, six states implemented comprehensive smoke-free laws that protect workers and patrons from the hazards of secondhand smoke. In 2010, restaurants and bars in North Carolina will be smoke-free, as will all workplaces, restaurants and bars in Wisconsin. North Carolina was the first tobacco-growing state in the nation to pass a 100 percent smoke-free restaurant and bar law.
Secondhand smoke causes between 35,000 and 40,000 deaths from heart disease every year. Three thousand otherwise healthy nonsmokers will die of lung cancer annually because of their exposure to secondhand smoke.
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and its affiliate charitable organization, the American Cancer Society, continue to conduct aggressive grassroots campaigns nationwide and make passage of strong, comprehensive smoke-free laws a priority.
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