LANSING – In an effort to protect our children from the dangers of secondhand smoke, State Representative Barb Byrum (D-Onondaga) today introduced a plan that prohibits smoking on school campuses 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year.
"Currently, school campuses in Michigan are required to be smoke-free from when they open in the morning until 6 p.m., Monday through Friday," Byrum said. "That's not good enough. The dangers of secondhand smoke are extensively documented – and it's time that our state takes action to protect our residents and our children."
Secondhand smoke is classified as a Group A carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Exposure to secondhand smoke can cause or exacerbate a wide range of health problems, including cancer, respiratory infections, and asthma, according to the American Lung Association (ALA).
The ALA reports that secondhand smoke causes approximately 3,400 lung cancer deaths and 46,000 heart disease deaths in adult nonsmokers in the United States each year, and that nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke at work are at increased risk for health problems.
Secondhand smoke is especially harmful to children, the ALA reports. It is responsible for up to 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections in kids under 18 months of age, resulting in up to 15,000 hospitalizations a year. It causes 430 sudden infant death syndrome deaths in the U.S. annually, the ALA reports. In addition, new evidence links increases in the number of asthma cases in children to secondhand smoke exposure.
Byrum's legislation will make smoking on school campuses a misdemeanor punishable by a $50 fine.
"Our children should feel safe and secure at their schools, whether they are in a classroom to learn or watching a football game with their friends," Byrum said. "This legislation will protect our children from the known threat of secondhand smoke by reducing the amount of smoke that our kids are exposed to, especially at athletic events. This is a giant step toward making Michigan a healthier and safer state for our children."