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Smoke Free Air Ordinance
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<br />Secondhand smoke is particularly hazardous to elderly people, individuals with cardiovascular
<br />disease, and individuals with impaired respiratory function, including asthmatics and those with
<br />obstructive airway disease. (California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal EPA), "Health effects of exposure to
<br />environmental tobacco smoke. ", Tobacco Control 6(4): 346 -353, Winter, 1997.) The Americans With Disabilities Act, which
<br />requires that disabled persons have access to public places and workplaces, deems impaired respiratory function to be a
<br />disability. (Daynard, R.A., "Environmental tobacco smoke and the Americans with Disabilities Act," Nonsmokers' Voice
<br />15(l):8-9.)
<br />The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has determined that the risk of acute
<br />myocardial infarction and coronary heart disease associated with exposure to tobacco smoke is non-
<br />linear at low doses, increasing rapidly with relatively small doses such as those received from
<br />secondhand smoke or actively smoking one or two cigarettes a day, and has warned that all patients at
<br />increased risk of coronary heart disease or with known coronary artery disease should avoid all indoor
<br />environments that permit smoking. (Pechacek, Terry F. Babb, Stephen, "Commentary; How acute and reversible are
<br />the cardiovascular risks of secondhand smoke ?" British Medical Journal 328: 980 -983, April 24, 2004.)
<br />Given the fact that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, the American Society
<br />of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) bases its ventilation standards on
<br />totally smokefree environments. ASHRAE has determined that there is currently no air filtration or other
<br />ventilation technology that can completely eliminate all the carcinogenic components in secondhand
<br />smoke and the health risks caused by secondhand smoke exposure, and recommends that indoor
<br />environments be smokefree in their entirety. (Samet, J.; Bohanon, Jr., H.R.; Coultas, D.B. Houston, T.P.; Persily,
<br />A.K.; Schoen, L.J.; Spengler, J.; Callaway, C.A., "ASHRAE position document on environmental tobacco smoke," American
<br />Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air- Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), 2005.)
<br />During periods of active smoking, peak and average outdoor tobacco smoke (OTS) levels
<br />measured in outdoor cafes and restaurant and bar patios near smoker's rival indoor tobacco smoke
<br />concentrations. (Klepeis, N.; Ott, W.R.; Switzer, P., "Real -time measurement of outdoor tobacco smoke particles," Journal
<br />of the Air & Waste Management Association 57: 522 - 534, 2007;)
<br />Nonsmokers who spend six -hour periods in outdoor smoking sections of bars and restaurants
<br />experience a significant increase in levels of cotinine when compared to the cotinine levels in a smoke
<br />free outdoor area. (Hall; J.C.; Bernert, J.T.; Hall, D.B.; St Helen, G.; Kudon, L.H.; Naeher, L.P., "Assessment of exposure
<br />to secondhand smoke at outdoor bars and family restaurants in Athens, Georgia, using salivary cotinine," Journal of
<br />Occupational and Environmental Hygiene 6(11):698 -704, November 2009.)
<br />Residual tobacco contamination, or "thirdhand smoke," from cigarettes, cigars, and other
<br />tobacco products is left behind after smoking occurs and builds up on surfaces and furnishings. This
<br />residue can linger in spaces long after smoking has ceased and continue to expose people to tobacco
<br />toxins. Sticky, highly toxic particulate matter, including nicotine, can cling to walls and ceilings. Gases
<br />can be absorbed into carpets, draperies, and other upholsteries, and then be reemitted (off - gassed) back
<br />into the air and recombine to form harmful compounds. (Singer, B.C.; Hodgson, A.T.; Nazaroff, W.W., "Effect of
<br />sorption on exposures to organic gases from environmental tobacco smoke (ETS)," Proceedings: Indoor Air 2002, 2002.)
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