Contributed by Noel Crowley-Bell, Tobacco Prevention Coordinator, Alaska Family Services, Inc. & Breathe Free Mat-Su Chair
Smoke-Free Alaska Celebration Event
8/3/2018 – 3PM
Breathe Free Mat-Su, Mat-Su Health Foundation
Mat-Su Health Foundation
777 N Crusey St. Wasilla
FREE Event
Late in the afternoon on May 12th, a Saturday, Senate Bill 63 received approval by the House and was re-approved by the Senate later that evening. A quiet event, six years in the making. SB63 is known as the “Take It Outside” bill. The law, signed by Governor Walker on July 17th, protects all Alaskans’ right to smoke-free, clean indoor air. The bill prohibits smoking in bars, restaurants and most businesses statewide. The law will also protect the health of those on buses, in taxis and similar forms of public transportation.
You might be asking, “Why so much effort and time on this issue.?” As an adult, it’s my choice whether to smoke or not. Based on the ruling by Judge Gladys Kessler, the choice of smoking can be debated after it was found that tobacco companies have known for decades that their product was addictive, conclusively tied to disease for both the smoker and non-smoker alike, and then used the information on nicotine addiction to make cigarettes even more addicting. But while tobacco companies lied about their product to protect their profits, others joined together, making the choice to fight for their right, and the rights of all Alaskans, to breathe smoke-free air.
The importance of this decision is based in the facts:
Secondhand smoke, the exhaled smoke from tobacco and the side-stream smoke from the end of combustible cigarettes, are known to cause lung cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in non-smoking adults and children. It is estimated that secondhand smoke caused nearly 34,000 heart disease deaths each year during 2005–2009 among adult non-smokers in the United States and more than 7,300 lung cancer deaths each year during 2005–2009 among adult non-smokers in the United States. (2) It is widely recognized that smoke-free laws for all indoor areas of a venue fully protect non-smokers from involuntary exposure to SHS indoors, thereby reducing this risk for heart disease and lung cancer. (2)
Secondhand smoke is not just a concern for non-smoking adults, children are greatly impacted as well. In children, secondhand smoke causes ear infections, more frequent and severe asthma attacks, respiratory symptoms (for example, coughing, sneezing and shortness of breath), respiratory infections (bronchitis and pneumonia), and a greater risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) 2,3
But why a statewide law? Isn’t it a local matter? In Alaska, a statewide law was needed as most boroughs, like the Mat-Su Borough, have no health power laws and are unable to act locally on behalf of their citizens. In absence of being able to act locally through ordinances, many businesses and boroughs signed resolutions of support for smoke-free legislation. Our own Mat-Su Borough being one of them. Even though many businesses statewide chose to go smoke-free voluntarily, still, almost 50% of Alaskans were not protected. This is the reason for a uniform statewide law and why so many lent their voice and efforts to support it.
Speaking of those community champions, it’s impossible to recognize all those who lent their voice and support over the years in a short article such as this. To remedy this, Breathe Free Mat-Su, your local coalition, whose work focuses on healthier Mat-Su communities through clean air and tobacco-free environments is inviting everyone to a community-wide celebration where it is our goal to thank you.
Please join us on August 3rd, from 3:00pm-5:00pm, at the new Mat-Su Health Foundation building, located on 777 Crusey Street in Wasilla. Light refreshments will be provided. We look forward to recognizing those whose strength and power, through testimony, letters and trips to Juneau are so greatly appreciated, such as the Mat-Su Health Foundation who is a sponsor of this event.
1 http://dhss.alaska.gov/dph/Chronic/Documents/Tobacco/PDF/2017_AKTobaccoFacts.pdf
2 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking - 50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2014
3 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2006
