Smoke-Free St. Louis City

We, the undersigned, support having 100% smoke-free indoor public places in St. Louis City, including workplaces, bars and restaurants! We urge you to protect the citizens and workers in St. Louis City from the dangers of secondhand smoke, a Group A carcinogen known to cause cancer, heart disease, and other illnesses.

Secondhand smoke is not a nuisance; it's a community health hazard.  Secondhand smoke kills over 38,000 Americans each year and exacerbates a wide range of adverse health effects.  Last year, the U.S. Surgeon General released a report confirming that secondhand smoke exposure increases a nonsmokers' risk for heart disease and lung cancer by up to 30 percent.  Cigarette smoke is a mix of more than 4,000 known chemical compounds.  

Every day, thousands of people in St. Louis - customers and employees - breathe secondhand smoke inside public places. We need to protect our right to breathe smoke-free air.  Less than 25% of people smoke -time has come for a Smoke-Free St. Louis City!

Over 2,600 municipalities in the United States have taken the step to prohibit smoking indoors.  Establishing a comprehensive smoke-free policy is the simplest and most cost effective way to improve the health of the community.  The elimination of secondhand smoke in all enclosed public places protects workers, children and the general public from unnecessary health risks and medical costs associated with exposure to secondhand smoke.  

We urge you to take action to eliminate secondhand smoke in public places and workplaces and to protect all citizens' right to breathe smoke-free air.
 
Thank you.