Title: North Carolina's New Smoke Free Law

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Section/SPIG: Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs

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In the News:

North Carolina’s Smoke-Free Law Will Save Lives and Health Care Costs

From: North Carolina Alliance for Health

 

As of Jan. 2, 2010,

  • 2.8 million workers -- 69 percent of the work force -- will be protected by smoke-free policies.[i]
  • 395,000 bar and restaurant workers will be able to go to work knowing that their hearts and lungs are protected by smoke-free policies.[ii]
  • Millions more North Carolinians will be protected from short-term exposure when spending time in restaurants and bars.
  • Studies have shown that smoke-free laws can reduce deaths & hospital admissions due to heart attack by 17 percent; In North Carolina, this would translate to a reduction of nearly 4,400 admissions and 1,100 deaths due to heart attacks.[iii]  This will save more than $48 million in health care costs.[iv]
  • Local communities now have authority to pass local ordinances restricting smoking in other indoor, public places.

 

Smoke-Free Laws Won’t Hurt Business

  • No rigorous, scientifically conducted study has found negative economic impact from smoke-free policies in restaurants or bars; some, in fact, have found an increase in restaurant and bar sales following local or statewide restrictions on smoking in public places.[v],[vi],[vii] Previous economic impact studies in North Carolina have shown no negative economic impact of smoke-free policies.[viii]
  • Customers prefer smoke-free restaurants, according to Zagat Survey; 77 percent of diners saying they'd eat out less if smoking were permitted in restaurants, and only 2% saying they'd dine out more.[ix]
  • Employees turn over, and associated costs like hiring and training, are not more likely to increase due to smoke-free laws. [x] Smoke-free restaurants can expect to save about $190 per 1,000 square feet each year in lower cleaning and maintenance costs.[xi]

Nine out of 10 North Carolinians agree that all employees should be able to work in a smoke-free environment.[xii]


[i]  This number is based upon application of data provided in Plescia et al, "Protecting Workers from Secondhand Smoke in North Carolina" NC Med J May/June 2005, Volume 66, Number 3 on the rate of workers who report smoke-free policies, to US Department of Labor statistics on labor distribution in NC, last updated March, 2008.

[ii]   NC Restaurant and Lodging Association, May, 2009.

[iii]  This number is based upon application of data provided in 2002-2006 NC Crude and Age-Adjusted Hospitalization Rates (per 100,000 population) for Acute Myocardial Infarction as Principal Diagnosis by County of Residence. Prepared by NC DHHS State Center for Health Statistics 20NOV08. 2002-2006 Hospitalizations for Acute MI, ICD-9CM code: 410; Age adjusted using a 2000 Population Standard. This provides the average number of hospital admissions due to myocardial infarcations, or heart attacks, which was then applied to the estimated number of heart attacks caused by exposure to secondhand smoke, outlined in Parikh NI et al, Long Term Trends in Myocardial Infarction Incidence and Case Fatality in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Framingham Heart Study.  Circulation. 2009;119:1203-1210.

[iv]  This number is based upon application of data provided in reference xi to estimated costs for treatment of heart attack, as outlined in Pfannenschmidt, S and Wansink D. North Carolina’s Secondhand Smoke Healthcare Cost Burden, prepared by the NC Department of Public Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, February, 2009.

[v]   Scollo, M., Lal, A., Hyland, A., Glantz, SA. Review of the quality of studies on the economic effects of smoke-free policies on the hospitality industry. Tobacco Control, 12: 13-20, 2003.

[vi]  Eriksen, M.; Chaloupka, F. “The Economic Impact of Clean Indoor Air Laws” CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians 57(6): 367-378, November 2007

[vii]  Alamar, B., Glantz, S. “Effect of Smoke-Free Laws on Bar Value and Profits” American Journal of Public Health 97(8): 1400-1402, August 1, 2007.

[viii]   Goldstein, A., Sobel, R. Environmental tobacco smoke regulations have not hurt restaurant sales in North Carolina. North Carolina Medical Journal 59(5): 284-288, September/October 1998.

[ix]   Zagat Survey, LLC, "Zagat releases 2008 America's Top Restaurants Survey showing U.S. dining is getting greener, healthier and more casual," PRNewswire, October 24, 2007.

[x]   Thompson, E., et al. “Smoke-free Laws and Employee Turnover,” Economic Policy, Online Early publication January 16, 2008

[xi]  "The dollars (and sense) benefits of having a smoke-free workplace," Michigan Department of Community Health, [2000].

[xii]   Elon University Poll, Institute for Politics and Public Affairs, October 3, 2006. Downloaded March 1, 2007 at: http://www.elon.edu/e-web/elonpoll/100306.xhtml