Davis decals push smokers farther out
There are no comments for this page [ Add Comment ]Tuesday, February 20, 2007
By Bryon Saxton
Standard-Examiner Davis Bureau
bsaxton@standard.net
FARMINGTON -- Sticking it to smokers who put others at risk with secondhand smoke is no longer just an indoor campaign. The push is now on to move smokers 25 feet outside the entryway before allowing them to light up.
The Davis County Health Department, in accordance with the Utah Indoor Clean Air Act, has mailed 600 Davis businesses a new decal.
The decal reminds smokers they cannot smoke indoors, or within 25 feet of a building entryway, County Health Educator Isa Kaluhikaua said.
The first wave of decals was mailed this month to Davis Chamber of Commerce businesses.
"We just wanted to make sure businesses were aware there was a new decal. Sometimes that 25-foot (parameter) creeps in closer and closer," Kaluhikaua said.
The public realizes it is unlawful to smoke indoors, she said. But oftentimes the 25-foot rule is forgotten.
The intent behind issuing the decals is to protect Utahns and visitors from exposure to secondhand smoke.
"We hope to see them in Davis County businesses all over," she said of the decals, which can be obtained through the State Department of Health.
The state code states "smoking is prohibited in all enclosed indoor places of public access and publicly owned buildings and offices."
"We're in favor of a healthy working environment," said John Pitt, chamber president and chief executive officer.
If chamber members want to use the decal to also remind employees of the current regulations, Pitt said, he is in favor of that. "The stickers would be placed voluntarily," he said.
The chamber has not taken an official position on whether indoor clean air act regulations should be tightened or limited with the passage of new legislation, he said.Health officials say the new decals are the health department's way of contributing to the local business base.
The campaign helps businesses not allow employees who smoke to affect the bottom line, Kaluhikaua said.
With employees who smoke, there is lower job productivity as they take additional smoke breaks, she said.
Businesses on a yearly average experience a $3,383 loss per each employee who smokes. Half of the loss is in job productivity, while the other half is a result of medical expenditures due to health costs, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
In Davis County, the percentage of adults who smoke is 8.3 percent of the total population, while the percentage of youth who smoke is slightly lower, at 6.2 percent.
"These numbers have been declining. That is the good thing," Kaluhikaua said .
In addition to the Utah Tobacco Quit Line, Davis health offers seminars for businesses. The workshops aim to help reduce the number of smokers the business has on staff.
Davis businesses wanting assistance can contact 451-3372.
For more information, visit the Utah Tobacco Prevention and Control Web site at www.tobaccofreeutah.org/uicaastate&rule.html.
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