Clean Indoor Air The tobacco control movement in this country has made tremendous headway in the fight against the pervasiveness of tobacco use in society. Our efforts have focused on policy changes that have altered the social acceptability of tobacco use in the workplace and most public places--currently, 21 states and hundreds of municipalities have enacted clean indoor air laws, and the tally keeps growing. The policy changes, however, are not always felt by communities of color, LGBT communities, and low SES populations. These communities face high rates of occupational secondhand smoke exposure, as a disproportionate number are employed in food service, laborer and factory jobs, which have the highest rates of secondhand smoke exposure. But, many clean indoor air ordinances have excluded restaurants, hotels and warehouses. In addition, an analysis by the Praxis Project* suggests that communities of color are less likely to have tobacco control ordinances overall. Enacting smoke-free ordinances at the community level has proven to be an effective strategy in pushing forward clean indoor air laws and building momentum for a smoking ban at the state level. *Additional Resource: Clean Indoor Air and Communities of Color: Challenges and Opportunities (The Praxis Project)
|
