When it is necessary to protect the health and safety of the public, government establishes regulations such as restaurants inspection, drunk driving laws, safety standards for manufacturing, and regulation for exposure to other Class A carcinogens such as asbestos.

Secondhand smoke causes an estimated 53,000 deaths annually in the U.S. alone. Secondhand smoke has been classified as a Group A Carcinogen, in the same category as asbestos and radon. Yet, workers in hospitality industry do not have regulations that protect them from the harmful effects of breathing secondhand smoke.

Further, this is an industry dominated by low-wage often female workers who experience greater risks due to the exposure. These workers often do not have paid-time off for illness and are unlikely to have health insurance benefits from their employer. Yet, During an 8-hour shift in a smoke-filled restaurant or bar, workers can breathe the equivalent of actively smoking 1.5 to 2 packs of cigarettes.

Low-wage women should not be forced to choose between their health and their livelihood.

75% of waitstaff and 55% of all bartenders are female. The exposure to second hand smoke carrier higher risks to the health of women than it does to the health of men.

• Regular exposure to second-hand smoke at work increases the risk of heart disease among women at higher rates than it does men (Kawachi et al. 1997)
• Pregnant women exposed to the secondhand smoke pass some of the blood-borne chemicals to their fetus’ that can cause genetic damage and may be a prelude to childhood leukemia and other cancers. (American Association for Cancer Research)
• The California Environmental Protection Agency has clearly identified a causal association between second-hand smoke exposure and breast cancer in women.

Related:

Work Smoke Free
Action Network