Clean Air Law Results from an American Cancer Society Report

In their recent report, the American Cancer Society discussed the impact that clean air initiatives have had overall.

According to the report published on prnewswire, the clean indoor air laws are low-cost, safe and effective, and they create completely smoke-free environments. These laws that create smoke-free environments are also spreading around the world. There is a global movement to make public indoor space entirely smoke free.

Michael Eriksen, ScD, of the Georgia State University Institute of Public Health and Frank Chaloupka, Ph.D., of the University of Illinois Health Policy Center and Department of Economics authored the report and they review the effects of clean indoor air laws and the results of their having been put into place, especially speaking on economic terms and in terms of the cumulative health benefits of having put the laws into place.

The two have found that overall, the public embraces such laws and that they enjoy the results of enforcing smoke free public spaces. Also, they have other beneficial results outside of the immediate satisfaction of the public, such as protecting non-smokers from involuntary exposure to secondhand cigarette smoke, they bring about lower cigarette consumption overall and also protect hospitality workers from respiratory conditions brought about by exposure.

According to a comprehensive review conducted by the entities such as the Surgeon General, the Task Force on Community Preventive Services, and others, no negative economic impact has been realized by the implementation of such clean air laws. The tobacco industry feared that would be a result of the clean air laws.

It is predicted by those who conducted the study that smoke free environments will continue to increase globally, and that indoor smoking being permitted with soon be an exception - a rare instance.

It is predicted that in the future, additional laws will take hold. Those include (but are not limited to) smoke free environments in homes, cars in which children are riding, multi-family dwellings, and even outdoor public venues.

The American Cancer Society was founded in 1913. Their national headquarters are in Atlanta, Georgia and they have thirteen regional Divisions. They have 3,400 local offices in varied communities nationwide. Nationwide, they enjoy help from millions of volunteers. In the release, they state a mission, or purpose."The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives, diminishing suffering and preventing cancer through research, education, advocacy and service."

Source:
Cancer Incidence in the United States: A Progress Report
Clean Air Laws Expected to Spread Around the Globe
Articles Used in Creating the Release:
Article: "A Midpoint Assessment of the American Cancer Society
Challenge Goal to Decrease Cancer Incidence by 25% Between 1992 and 2015,"
RL Sedjo, T Byers, E Barrera, C Cohen, ETH Fontham, LA Newman, CD Runowicz,
AG Thorson, MJ Thun, E Ward, RC Wender, H J Eyre, CA Cancer J Clin
2007;57:326-340.
Article: "The Economic Impact of Clean Indoor Air Laws," M Eriksen, F

Chaloupka, CA Cancer J Clin 2007;57:367-378.

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