CDC Calls for the Elimination of Smoking in Indoor Areas

In the September 7th Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) called for the elimination of smoking in indoor areas because individuals are still being exposed to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke has been shown to cause heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmoking adults. This release further supports the need for all workplaces in both Indianapolis and Indiana to be smoke free. Indiana is one of the last states not have a smoke free air policy, and Indianapolis is the last major city to not be smoke free who is able to pass such a policy.

Yesterday, the CDC also released a MMWR on current smoking levels of adults in the United States. Smoking rates have been going down the last few years, but at a slow pace and seem to be leveling off. Here in Indiana we did see a drop between 2008 and 2009, from 26.1% to 23.1% - the lowest it has ever been. One way to reduce smoking rates is by passing smoke free air laws, states that have comprehensive laws also have lower smoking rates than Indiana.