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June 6,2012 <br /> Dear Colleagues, <br /> My cosponsors and I are pleased to present to you a clean air standards ordinance for workplaces <br /> and public places. <br /> The goal of the ordinance is to reduce the health hazards induced by exposure to environmental <br /> tobacco smoke for the residents of our community. <br /> The 2006 U.S.Surgeon General's Report, The Health Consequences of <br /> Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke,has concluded that(1)secondhand <br /> smoke exposure causes disease and premature death in children and adults who <br /> do not smoke; (2) children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased <br /> risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory problems,ear <br /> infections,and asthma attacks, and that smoking by parents causes respiratory <br /> symptoms and slows lung growth in their children; (3) exposure of adults to <br /> secondhand smoke has immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system <br /> and causes coronary heart disease and lung cancer; (4) there is no risk-free level <br /> of exposure to secondhand smoke; (5) establishing smoke free workplaces is the <br /> only effective way to ensure that secondhand smoke exposure does not occur in <br /> the workplace,because ventilation and other air cleaning technologies cannot <br /> completely control for exposure of nonsmokers to secondhand smoke; and(6) <br /> evidence from peer-reviewed studies shows that smoke free policies and laws do <br /> not have an adverse economic impact on the hospitality industry.* <br /> It is based on this data that we believe establishing clean air standards for workplaces and public <br /> places is in the best interest of our citizens and their health and well being. <br /> Thank you for your time and consideration of this important issue. Please let me know if you have <br /> any questions or suggestions regarding this bill. <br /> Thank you, <br /> Valerie Schey <br /> *(U.S.Department of Health and Human Services.The Health Consequences oflnvoluntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke:A <br /> Report of the Surgeon General.U.S.Department of Health and Human Services,Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, <br /> National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion,Office on Smoking and Health,2046.) <br />