Latest news with #CleanIndoorAirAct
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Montana lawmakers, please don't bring back smoking indoors
Cigar in ashtray (Martin Vorel/Common Creative license) Some ideas are so bad that they're ridiculous. Like bringing back smoking rooms to Montana businesses. This is what Senate Bill 150, now being debated by the Montana Legislature, stands to do. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Wylie Galt of Martinsdale, would weaken Montana's 20-year-old Clean Indoor Air Act and allow so-called 'cigar rooms' to operate in our state. If the idea sounds familiar, that's because lawmakers have rejected it time after time in past legislative sessions. But those who put profits ahead of our health keep trying. SB 150 will subject employees and non-smoking patrons to secondhand cigar smoke, which can cause lung cancer and heart disease and stroke, and which contains all the same toxic chemicals found in cigarette smoke. Every worker deserves a safe place to work – free of toxic air pollutants. If passed, Galt's bill as proposed with amendments will irreparably weaken our Clean Indoor Air Act, which, as stated in Montana law, is intended to 'protect the public health and welfare by prohibiting smoking in public places and places of employment; to recognize the right of nonsmokers to breathe smoke-free air; and to recognize that the need to breathe smoke-free air has priority over the desire to smoke.' There is no way to contain cigar smoke within a room or building. Smoke filters through cracks in windows and walls, through air ducts and even through electrical outlets. And there is no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure. If bars or brewpubs have 'cigar rooms,' everyone inside the building, not just the smoking area itself, will be at risk, just as they were back in the bad old days when smoking was allowed in restaurants and on board airplanes. Say 'so long' to the family environment many establishments have cultivated during the past two decades. Many Montanans may see their favorite spots opting in to allow smoking. There is no ventilation system that can effectively protect against secondhand smoke. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, which sets engineering standards for ventilation systems, says that 'the only means of effectively eliminating health risks associated with indoor exposure is to ban smoking activity' from a building. Ventilation may reduce odor, but it won't protect people's health. In fact, people who go inside a cigar bar or room will be at risk even when smoking isn't taking place. Toxins from cigar smoke seep into carpet, furniture and walls and can be absorbed through the skin or by breathing in contaminated dust or by eating contaminated food. Employees charged with cleaning or otherwise maintaining a cigar bar or room will be at risk. Cigar bars or rooms can even pose a hazard for neighboring businesses. Not only are backers of SB 150 and its amendment undermining our health and the Clean Indoor Air Act, but they also are breaking a promise made to the people of Montana. When the Clean Indoor Air Act was adopted 20 years ago, it included a four-year phase-in period for Montana's tavern owners to make their bars and casinos smokefree. The phase-in was agreed upon by the tavern industry, legislators and some health groups. SB 150 breaks this promise, which has been held for 16 years. The bill also runs counter to public opinion in our state. A 2021 poll by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and the American Heart Association showed that 89% of Montana voters from across the political spectrum support the Clean Indoor Air Act, and 77% (3-in-4) of Montana voters oppose allowing cigar smoking in bars. SB 150 breaks a promise made to Montana citizens and hospitality workers, and it undermines our Clean Indoor Air Act, which prevents disease and saves lives. We've had 20 years of smokefree workplaces and 16 years of smokefree bars and casinos. Why bring back the days of smoke-filled air and coming home with your clothes, skin and hair stinking of smoke? We've come to expect clean, healthy air in our public spaces. Let's not go back to the days of smoking rooms.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cigar bill to create exemption in Clean Indoor Air Act advances
The Montana State Capitol in Helena on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. (Photo by Mike Clark for the Daily Montanan) A bill to create an exemption for cigar rooms from the Montana Clean Indoor Air Act is headed to the House floor — and legislation to strengthen the Act by including e-cigarettes and vape pens in the definition of smoking is headed to the governor's desk. Senate Bill 150, sponsored by Sen. Wylie Galt, R-Martinsdale, is an attempt to help the hospitality and tourism industry in the state by allowing places where cigar aficionados can legally smoke indoors. Galt said cigar bars are legal in many states, and a supporter representing the hospitality industry said the lack of an exemption here means Montana is at a competitive disadvantage. In a statement Friday, Galt said he's pleased with the progress the bill has made. 'Adults over 21 years of age would have the option to enjoy a cigar in a contained location that meets proper ventilation requirements separate from an established bar or restaurant,' Galt said. Opponents of the bill argue it undercuts an agreement made decades earlier among legislators, some health advocates and the Montana Tavern Association to put the Clean Indoor Air Act in place in 2005 but allow four years for bars to comply. The Department of Public Health and Human Services describes it as 'one of the most important public health policies in state history.' Montana Tavern Association spokesperson John Iverson could not be reached for comment Friday. However, at a hearing in March, Iverson told the House Committee on Business and Labor that his board had a robust debate about the bill and didn't support it because it undercuts the Clean Indoor Air Act. 'It does that by exposing employees to smoke in their workplace,' Iverson said. 'For a long time now, our employees have not been exposed to smoke in their workplace.' But Iverson said the organization would support the bill if it was amended to prohibit employees from entering the room where patrons are smoking and the room had separate ventilation. This week, the committee voted on an amendment that changed the venue from 'cigar bar' to 'cigar room' and said employees can't enter the room while smoking is taking place unless there's an emergency. As currently drafted, the bill would allow smoking of premium cigars in 'cigar rooms,' separate enclosed spaces on premises that have a license to serve alcohol. Patrons wouldn't be able to smoke anything but premium cigars in those rooms, as the bill is written. So no marijuana or cigarettes. The bill requires a cigar room to be enclosed and have 'a solid door' and a ventilation system that doesn't send exhausted air to nonsmoking areas. Thursday, the committee approved the bill on a 12-8 party line vote. In a phone call Friday, CB Pearson, a public health advocate, said the legislation is worse than originally drafted for the health of workers. 'It is the biggest intrusion into the Clean Indoor Air act and the biggest threat that we have faced over the last 20 years,' Pearson said. Pearson said one reason he believes the current draft is worse is the original bill required a cigar bar to be a separate, standalone structure, and the amended version allows for a separate room in a building. But he said rooms leak toxic particulates, such as when someone opens a door. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers' position is that even when 'all practical means of separation and isolation of smoking areas are employed, adverse health effects from exposure in non-smoking spaces in the same building cannot be eliminated.' It also means an employee who enters the room after hours to clean is exposed to particulates because they fall on the floor and stick to the walls, Pearson said. 'There is no way to have a facility that can protect workers if they have to go in and clean up or attend to a site,' Pearson said. Before it was amended, Galt told the House committee he had been running a version of the cigar bar bill since he first started in the legislature in the House. 'We have continued working on it, trying to tweak it where we can,' Galt said. Friday, Galt said the idea the bill is worse for public health than when it started is incorrect because it bans employees from entering those rooms. 'During the legislative process, the bill was amended to be contained to a single room in which employees aren't permitted to enter,' Galt said. 'While this wasn't my original language, it is the result of the legislative process, and I am glad to see it one step closer to becoming law.' The bill will head to the House floor as amended. Another bill that affects the Clean Indoor Air Act is Senate Bill 390, sponsored by Sen. Willis Curdy, D-Missoula. It regulates vapes and e-cigarettes. It passed out of the Senate on Tuesday on a bipartisan 34-16 vote after being amended in the House. Rep. George Nikolakakos, R-Great Falls, carried the bill in the House, and he said he's generally a fan of vices. However, he said he believes there's a social contract that needs to be honored when it comes to freedom and vices, and the deal includes regulation. He said Montanans support the Clean Indoor Air Act — a poll said as much as 89% — and Montana has the second highest rate in the nation of vape use, and four times the rate of smoking among adolescents. 'E-cigarettes came into the market just after we passed the Clean Indoor Air Act, so honestly, they probably would have been included had this been on the market at the time,' Nikolakakos said. The Governor's Office did not respond to a question Friday about whether Gov. Greg Gianforte would sign SB 390, which is headed to his desk, or if he would have any concerns about an exemption to the Clean Indoor Air Act in SB 150.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Kanawha health board to open public comment period about casino's smoking area proposal
Tom Baldwin downloads a sports betting app onto his phone after the opening of the sports betting bar at Mardi Gras Casino & Resort in December 2018. The casino, located in Nitro, has asked the Kanawha-Charleston Board of Health to allow the casino to be exempted from the county's Clean Indoor Air Act. (Chris Dorst | Charleston Gazette-Mail) Kanawha County residents will be able to weigh in on a request by a Nitro casino that it be allowed to add an indoor smoking area, despite the county's smoking ban. The Kanawha-Charleston Board of Health on Thursday voted to open a 30-day public comment period for the Mardi Gras Casino's proposal that a closed-off area of the facility with about 150 slot machines be exempted from the county's clean indoor air regulations. The room would have a 'high-quality' independent HVAC system to remove smoke from the area, according to a proposal by casino owner Delaware North. A representative of the company first presented the proposal to the health board last fall. According to the company, the facility's competitor, Sandy's Racing & Gaming in Ashland, Kentucky has a designated smoking area with 190 slot machines. Casino officials say offering the smoking area would help Mardi Gras compete with other casinos in its regional market area. 'This initiative aims to keep Mardi Gras competitive in the market and retain business within West Virginia, as customers currently cross state lines to visit competitors that provide smoking accommodations,' a spokesman for the company told West Virginia Watch last fall. 'Our proposal outlines the creation of a separate space that ensures the comfort and safety of both smokers and non-smokers. We look forward to collaborating with the Kanawha County Health Commission on this project.' During Thursday's meeting, Dr. Arthur Rubin, a retired pediatrician and member of the health board, said he opposed exempting the casino from the smoking ban. Rubin said he had visited the casino and heard more about the proposal and the construction that would be done. 'At the end of the day for me, I'm still not in favor of an amendment to our Clean Indoor Air Act,' Rubin said. 'I am not in favor of anything that helps to facilitate smoking indoors. And with the risks to the people who are actually gambling, the smokers and to employees, regardless of what they've signed or not signed, I'm just not in favor of that.' Board member Danita Nellhaus also spoke against the proposal. Other members, including board president Jeremy Nelson, said the board should at least hear from the public about the matter. 'I think cutting it down before we hear from the public sends an awful strong message from this board that we're not open for business,' Nelson said. Clean indoor air regulations vary by county in West Virginia. Kanawha County has banned smoking in most public places and places of employment since at least 2008. The law was amended in 2020 to prohibit indoor vaping, as well. The Wheeling-Ohio County Clean Indoor Air regulation, by contrast, exempts the Wheeling Island Hotel, Casino & Racetrack, which is also owned by Delaware North. Rubin, who's been a health board member for nearly 30 years, said he can't recall another time when a business has asked the board for an exemption to the smoking ban. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart attacks, heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and other cancers by up to 30% among nonsmoking adults. Smoke-free policies are the most effective ways to protect people from the risks of secondhand smoke, the CDC said. The U.S. Surgeon General says separating smokers from nonsmokers, cleaning the air and ventilating buildings do not effectively protect people from secondhand smoke. West Virginia has one of the highest smoking rates in the country, at 21% for adults, according to the American Lung Association. The state has among the highest rates in the country for cancer deaths. Many of the state's other leading causes of death are also health conditions caused by smoking. The casino's request is opposed by several health organizations, including the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association and the West Virginia State Medical Association. In a Nov. 12, 2024 letter, they wrote that ventilation systems do not protect people from carcinogens found in secondhand smoke. 'Not only are the employees of the business that allows smoking endangered, but so are employees and patrons in adjoining businesses that share doors, windows and ventilation systems,' they wrote. 'Secondhand smoke has been proven to cause heart disease, emphysema, stroke, sudden infant death syndrome and cancer,' they said. 'The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention make it clear that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. We strongly urge the board of health members to reject any exemptions to the smoke-free ordinance.' In a written statement this week, a representative of the United Steel Workers, a union that represents dealers at the casino, said they're monitoring the possible changes to working conditions for members. 'As we begin negotiations on a new contract in the coming months, we intend to bargain with management over the potential health impacts,' Nathan Nelson, a staff representative for the union, said in the statement. According to the health board's bylaws, the Kanawha County Commission and the city of Charleston would also have to sign off allowing the casino to have a smoking area. Kanawha commissioners told West Virginia Watch last fall they would wait to see what the health board recommended before deciding if they'd support the measure. The health department hopes to open the comment period Monday. Kanawha County residents who wish to voice their written comments will be able to do so by email or mail. Comments must include a name and a Kanawha County address. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Can you smoke indoors in Pennsylvania? Rep. looks to change the rules
PENNSYLVANIA (WTAJ) — A representative announced he will introduce legislation that, if passed, would eliminate smoking inside workplaces. Rep. Dan Frankel (D – Allegheny) authored the bill that would eliminate what Frankel called 'loopholes' that leave Pennsylvania workers exposed to smoke, expand the definition of smoking to include e-cigarettes and give localities the ability to enact smoke-free ordinances that are more protective than state law. In 2008, the General Assembly banned smoking in most workplaces with the Clean Indoor Air Act. However, the new law did not include places such as casinos, hotels and some bars, which still allow smoking across the Commonwealth. Frankel argued that Pennsylvania workers should 'not have to choose between their jobs and their health.' 'If we cannot count on private businesses to do the right thing even when it's the financially smart thing, then it's time for political leaders to step in and insist on the protection of the health of our constituents,' Frankel wrote. According to the Clean Indoor Act, places that provide food, education or healthcare-related services are defined as 'public places.' Any indoor area serving as a place of employment, occupation, business, trade, craft, professional or volunteer activity is defined as a 'workplace.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
