Third Hand Tobacco Smoke Petition

The prior post stated the situation we are in with current tobacco control laws. Smoke-free means an area in which no one should smoke. It is also an area free from smoke drifting in from other areas.

This misses the third hand tobacco smoke carried into “smoke-free” and “tobacco-free” areas on a smokers hair, clothes, and body for the first 30 minutes to several hours after smoking.

Third Hand Tobacco Smoke Petition

The Third Hand Tobacco Smoke Petition puts this into an operational perspective. Tabulated confidential petitions record a patient’s or resident’s awareness of tobacco smoke exposure.

The tabulated petitions become votes. Columbia, MO, is divided into five legislative districts. The two central town districts are Democrat. The three more rural districts are Republican.

My first political act was to attend the annual League of Women Voters event at the library last Tuesday evening where I met the five representatives. Representative Chuck Basye was very respective to the handout in the prior post.

The tabulated petitions also provide feedback to owner management. Friday I had another call from San Antonio. A site our daughter-in-law picked out three years ago reported that their memory care is now staffed entirely by non-smokers. We can check this out next month.

A “smoker-free” site can eliminate most tobacco smoke exposure, however, there is still the problem with littering reported by our site director. Missouri House Bill No. 533 would add “cigarettes, cigars” to the state code on littering. A new Section 577.070.2 (3) ”If the offense of littering involves cigarettes or cigars the fine imposed under this section shall be twice the amount imposed for an offense not involving cigarettes and cigars”.

A class C misdemeanor carries a maximum 15 days in jail and a $700 fine in Missouri. Proper signage and a fake camera at the front door might reduce the time to police up the area each day. Cigarette buts are highly visible in the paved entry area.

Insurance purchased on the exchanges covers smoking cessation. Along with the CDC, 1-800-784-8669, the city of Columbia, 573-874-7356, has a free program.

Preventable illness and early death, from cigarette smoke used to get nicotine, are now being taken seriously by health agencies, but “the state tobacco control program is currently funded at only 0.1% of the CDC-recommended level”.