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The Case for Smoke-Free Outdoor Dining |
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For 30 years, Breathe California has been fighting to protect local residents from the dangers posed by secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke contains more than 250 toxic chemicals and kills about 50,000 Americans annually.1 While smoking is now banned in most indoor environments, many restaurants still allow smoking in their outdoor patios & dining areas - posing a significant public health risk for employees and patrons alike. But with the help of local leaders, restaurants, community groups and individual residents, we can bring more smoke-free dining areas to our community! |
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Smoke-Free Outdoor Dining is:
AN ISSUE OF PUBLIC HEALTH A growing body of evidence shows that exposure to secondhand smoke can pose serious health risks, even in outdoor venues. In 2007, Stanford researchers found that people within just a few feet of a person smoking outdoors can be exposed to levels of secondhand smoke that are as high as in homes where smoking is permitted. Over several hours, those levels can exceed the EPA’s standards for fine particulate pollution.2
OVERWHELMINGLY POPULAR A 2005 survey found that 70.8% of Californians and 79.8% of Santa Clara County residents think that smoking should NOT be allowed in restaurants’ outdoor dining patios. In addition, 39.1% of self-identified smokers agreed that smoking should be prohibited in outdoor dining patios.3
ALREADY BEING IMPLEMENTED 40 cities & counties in California (including Los Gatos) have already passed policies that make 100% of outdoor dining areas smoke-free. Hundreds of other localities across the country have also adopted their own policy.4
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Now’s the Time to Act - Learn How You Can Help Make a Difference!
1 U.S. Surgeon General, The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General, 2006. 2 N. Klepeis, et al, “Real-Time Measurement of Outdoor Tobacco Smoke Particles”, Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association ,May 2007. 3 California Department of Public Health/California Tobacco Control Program, C-STATS Website, http://www.cstats.info/ (accessed May 18, 2009). 4 American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation, Municipalities with Smokefree Outdoor Dining Laws, updated as of April 20, 20009.
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