On June 27, 2006, the U.S. Surgeon General's Office released a report stating the serious health hazards of breathing the toxic chemicals in secondhand smoke and confirming that smoking should be eliminated in indoor spaces to protect nonsmokers.
The evidence is clear: Secondhand smoke is a serious health hazard. Check out our fact sheets for more information on the dangers of secondhand smoke and how smoke-free public places laws protect your health.
Some Ohioans call our law a "smoking ban." This term is misleading because our law does not ban smoking. SmokeFreeOhio just asks smokers to step outside for a few minutes to protect everyone's right to breathe clean indoor air.
Do you or someone you know work around secondhand smoke? Are you a bar, restaurant or bowling alley employee? Do you want to help make your workplace and all workplaces smoke-free? Find out more.
Help protect everyone's right to breathe smoke-free air.
SmokeFreeOhio is glad to see that most businesses are abiding by the smoke-free law that went into effect December 7. Show your support by visiting businesses complying with the law and thanking them for being smoke-free.
On November 7, Ohio voters soundly rejected R.J. Reynold’s Issue 4 and strongly supported Issue 5 backed by 575 businesses, churches, and health groups. This was a resounding victory for SmokeFreeOhio and a historic step towards improving the health of Ohio workers and customers.
The law went into effect December 7, and, despite challenges by opponents, the law is still in effect. Businesses are expected to comply with the law, meaning ashtrays need to be removed, signs need to be posted, and smoking needs to be stopped.
However, citations cannot be written and fines cannot be levied until the rules of enforcement are finalized by the Ohio Department of Health. Please be assured that the campaign and our partners are doing everything we can to assist in the rule-making process.
In the meantime, the Ohio Department of Health’s toll-free reporting number is still taking calls on those who violated the law. It is important that they receive information from you about businesses that are not complying. When they receive that educational letter, they will know that someone complained and that someone is paying attention. The toll-free number is 1-866-559-OHIO.
The best thing we can do as supporters right now is to continue going out to our favorite establishments and show those business owners that going smoke-free is a good thing for their bottom line.
For general information concerning the law, you can call toll-free: 1-866-634-7654.
You can also visit: The Ohio Department of Health website
You may report violations of the law by calling toll-free: 1-866-559-OHIO (6446).
Issue 4 fails while Ohio voters support Issue 5
Ohio voters soundly rejected R.J. Reynold’s Issue 4 and strongly supported the American Cancer Society’s Issue 5. This is a resounding victory for SmokeFreeOhio and a historic step towards improving the health of Ohio workers and customers.
We are so grateful to Ohio voters who saw past the tobacco companies’ smokescreen and voted to create a healthier future for Ohio workers and future generations. Tobacco companies spent millions, but could not defeat thousands of passionate volunteers from across the state who worked countless hours to make this dream a reality.
We will celebrate this victory and look forward to working with the Ohio Department of Health to implement the SmokeFree Workplace Act as smoothly and quickly as possible.
The Smoke-Free Workplace Act will officially be on the books 30 days after the election. It may take a little longer for the Ohio Department of Health to craft rules to enforce Issue 5.
Ohio is the 15th state to pass a strong smoke-free law which protects all workers, including those in bars and restaurants. The list includes: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Montana, Utah, Vermont, and Washington State. Several countries have smoke-free laws, including Italy, Ireland, and Scotland.
NBC Nightly News catches signature gatherers deceiving voters
Smoke Less Ohio, a campaign by the tobacco and alcohol industries to stop SmokeFreeOhio and allow smoking in most public places in the state, is deceiving people to get their support. Watch NBC Nightly News coverage: [Windows Media] [Quicktime] [iPod] [RealPlayer] Make sure you support the real smoke-free law. Read more.
Official website of SmokeFreeOhio, Richard Filler, Treasurer, 5555 Frantz Road, Dublin, OH 43017
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