Contributed by Noel Crowley-Bell
On October 1st, last year, the Smoke-free Workplace Law was enacted to protect the health of all Alaskans by reducing exposure to secondhand smoke.
As someone who appreciates smoke-free indoor workplaces and public places, I want to say thank you to everyone in our community for supporting the Alaska Smoke-free Workplace Law. I am thrilled to see that our community is free from secondhand cigarette and marijuana smoke, as well as aerosols from electronic smoking devices.
There aren’t a lot of things one can do to save lives, but smoke-free indoor spaces is one of those things that quickly improves the health of our Alaskan communities. Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at work are more likely to develop heart disease or lung cancer. The Smoke-free Alaska Law protects employees and the public from the dangerous health effects associated with secondhand smoke. Smoke-free workplace laws have been proven to reduce the incidence of heart attacks and improve pulmonary function, encourage quitting and preventing kids from starting. This new law may not end our problem with cancer and heart disease, but it will eliminate a known health hazard for nonsmokers who want to enjoy or work in our community’s businesses.
I am proud of our community’s willingness to make healthy workplaces and spaces a reality for the Mat-Su Borough. It is this willingness and support that has helped the Smoke-free Workplace Law be such a success in this first year.
