Tobacco Documents Online

r F I r i I I I I I I I- L LAUREL L. BOONE 213 EAST MEADOwBROCK DRIVE MIDLAND. MICHIGAN 48640 October 4, 1980 Sunny Fong, Chief Office of Health Education MichiQan Department of Public Health 3500 North Logan Street P.O. Box 30035 Lansing, Michigan 48909 Dear Sir/Madam: Please see that this statement is included in the record of the hearing held by the Governor's Citizens Panel on Smoking set for October 8, 1980, as I will be unable to attend the hearing. Tobacco smoke is a known carcinoFen and as such, very hazardous to the health of those who breathe smoke-filled air. There are state and federal regulations on various hazardous substances and tobacco smoke should be no ex- ception. There iss great need for regulation of tobacco smoke in the work place. Employers should be required to rovide smoke-free air for those employees and customers/clients who do not wish to breathe second hand smoke. It is in society's interest that persons become gain- fully employed. However it is intolerable that acceptance of employment often carries with it exposure to poisonous tobacco smoke. Employers could be given four alternatives : 1. No smoking whatsoever in the work place. 2. A separate area, away from common work areas (and with no air flow into work areas) in which employees would be required to do their smcking. • 3. Strict segregation with physical barriers between smokers and non-smokers. 4. Powerful (certain capacity depending on size of work place) exhaust systems to carry smoke away. It is indeed tragic that many in our society are commit- ting suicide, slowly, by smoking. But perhaps it is an individual's right to harm himself. However no one has the right to poison others. This is a very serious matter effecting workers almost everywhere. But unlike many problems, something can and must be done to regulate tobacco smoke. Immediate attention at state and federal levels is necessary. ' A most unwilling victim of tobacco smoke poisoning who has not yet given up -~-`~C~C ~ M"rs. Jeffrey S. (Laurie) Boone -162- ' .~ .: ....~