| What
is Secondhand Smoke?
Secondhand smoke (SHS) is a mixture of the smoke
that comes from the burning end of a cigarette, cigar or pipe, and
from the smoke exhaled by a smoker. SHS is also called "environmental
tobacco smoke (ETS) ", "passive smoking" or "involuntary smoking".
Nationally, secondhand smoke kills 60,000 nonsmokers
and is known to cause lung cancer, heart disease, nasal sinus cancer,
respiratory disease, bronchitis, middle ear infections, asthma,
and pneumonia. In children, secondhand smoke causes 436,000 cases
of bronchitis and 190,000 cases of pneumonia each year.
Secondhand smoke contains nearly 5,000 chemical
compounds including arsenic (poisen), hydrogen cyanide (gas chamber
poisen), carbon monixide (car exhaust fumes), formaldehyde (preserver
- body tissue and fabric), methonal (rocket fuel), actone (nail
polish remover), metals(lead, copper, silver and others), and cancer
causing agents (Polonium 210, nitrosamines, Benzo(a)pyrene, and
others).
Smoke-Free Denver International
Airport
The mission of Smoke-Free DIA is to educate the public
regarding the fact that, despite the passage of a statewide smoke-free
law, the Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act of 2006, the City and County
of Denver still permits the existence of four exclusively-contracted
smoking bar and restaurant "smoking lounges" at Denver International
Airport.
Only through effective public education can we hope
to achieve a 100% smoke-free indoor DIA.
Want to support Smoke-Free DIA? Visit the webpage
at:
www.smokefreedia.org
Sign an endorsement form. Contact Bob Doyle at the Colorado
Tobacco Education and Prevention Alliance (CTEPA). 303-756-6163
or bdoyle@ctepa.org
Smokefree Colorado
The Smokefree Colorado website provides
Colorado residents with information about the dangers of secondhand
smoke and links them to many organizations addressing secondhand
smoke issues throughout the state. Information about the Colorado
Clean Indoor Air Act, along with brochures, signage, and facts can
also be located on the website.
http://www.smokefreecolorado.org
Smoke-Free Housing
Action Committee (SHAC)
What is the SHAC (Smoke-Free Housing Action Committee)?
Updated: December 2008
The Group to Allieviate Smoking Pollution (GASP)
of Colorado is working in partnership with the American Lung Association
Tobacco Advocacy Resource Partnership (TARP) and the State Tobacco
Education and Prevention Partnership (STEPP) to develop statewide
resources to address the issue of tobacco smoke intrusion in multi-unit
housing. This effort is supported by funds from the state tobacco
tax prevention funds administered by STEPP.
History
The Smoke-Free Housing Action Committee (SHAC) was
formed in Fall 2006 and currently consists of state and local health
departments, nonprofit organizations, landlords, realtors, and residents.
Between 2006 and 2007 the 42-member committee participated in conference
calls to review the best practices used by national experts on smoke-free
housing and held a statewide planning meeting on May 30, 2007. The
SHAC steering committee was formed at that time for developing materials,
planning, and assessing other needs. Since then the SHAC steering
committee has conducted an assessment of materials, engaged in planning,
and developed materials for STEPP's smoke-free housing Web site.
The SHAC Steering committee is coordinated by the
American Lung Association of Colorado and meets bimonthly via conference
call on the second Tuesday of the month. In-person meetings will
be held twice a year.
Visit www.mysmokefreehousing.org
for educational materials for landlords, residents, condominiums,
public housing, links to smoke-free housing programs across the
country, and other resources. The Colorado Guide to Smoke-Free Housing
at www.mysmokefreehousing.com
provides a statewide list of the smoke-free multi-unit residences
and updated monthly, but is solely funded by GASP of Colorado.
For more information about the statewide conference
calls, contact Pete Bialick at 303-444-9799 or by e-mail by clicking
here
GASP of Colorado
2885 Aurora Ave Suite 37
Boulder CO 80303-2252
Phone: (303) 444-9799
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