WESLACO, Texas – The city commissions of Weslaco and Donna voted this evening to protect all workers in their cities from secondhand smoke’s toxins. They join 58 other Texas cities that have passed comprehensive smoke-free indoor workplace ordinances that prohibit smoking in enclosed workplaces and other public spaces to improve the health and quality of life for their communities.
“Weslaco and Donna join other Rio Grande Valley cities such as Pharr and Harlingen to protect the health and safety of all workers and residents,” said Charlie Gagen, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network grassroots manager. “We applaud the leadership of Weslaco Mayor David Suarez, Donna Mayor Irene Muñoz and their respective city commissions. This is a big and important step toward improving the health of citizens in their communities and throughout the region.”
Secondhand smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, including at least 69 carcinogens. The U.S. Surgeon General found that secondhand smoke is a proven cause of lung cancer, heart disease and serious respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis, low birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome. Smoke-free ordinances that protect communities from exposure to secondhand smoke are proven to reduce people’s risk of such diseases.
Some of the other Texas cities that have enacted comprehensive smoke-free ordinances include: Alton, Mission, Edinberg, Brownsville, El Paso, Laredo, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Corpus Christi, Plano, Abilene, Beaumont, Copperas Cove, Vernon, Ennis, Victoria and College Station.
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, Hidalgo County Tobacco Prevention & Control Coalition and residents of Weslaco and Donna worked together to support the cities of Weslaco and Donna in their efforts to pass their smoke-free ordinances and improve the public health of their communities.