A New State Tobacco Control Law

The term “Tobacco Control” comes from the days of “Alcohol, Tobacco and Fire Arms. The emphasis was on controlling tax revenue.

A new law must be based on “tobacco smoke exposure”; a recently recognized public health problem of great importance, and continue with addiction as a serious illness.

Education has been the most successful tool in controlling the use of tobacco (1).

Well to do, educated, and tobacco knowledgeable people have self-regulated their exposure down to no tobacco smoke by living in totally tobacco free condominiums and multi-unit housing (2). This is comparable to the self-regulated single family occupants at all socio-economic levels (3).

Heavily regulated hospitals have now arrived at the “tobacco free” status that includes not hiring people who are addicted to nicotine; that they obtain from smoke or from alternative nicotine sources (4). The air is clear for employee and patient. [Hospitals (health care) have given themselves the same status (in Missouri law) as health promoters (American Lung Association, for example), by charging for smoking cessation consultations.]

Private pay, less regulated, assisted living and memory care, sites have not arrived at the “tobacco free” or “exposure free” status in Missouri (5). They are only “smoke free” workplaces (6). The public regards them as “free of smoke”.

Here is the problem: The low wage workers are drawn from lower socio-economic levels where up to 50% are heavily addicted to nicotine (7).  

Here is the result: A caregiver, needing to adjust blood nicotine levels, can step out of a “smoke free” area to smoke, and step back in. Within a minute the next resident could have just as well have been smoking too, but now from the third hand tobacco smoke released from hair, clothes, and body.

Transitional competitive market solution (0-90 days): Hire smokers who are given to understand that nicotine addiction is a serious illness that affects everyone exposed. No tobacco or smoke are allowed on the property. They must take part in an effective smoking cessation program directed by a qualified person to manage their addiction while at work, and to set a low stress quit date. The job is conditional until nicotine addiction is under control.

Fully funded and updated tobacco control law solution (2-5 years): The enemy is a profit-seeking cult (8) that holds onto 70% of its members (9) by addiction (10). Pass company non-smoker health insurance benefits into paychecks. Fund tobacco initiation and smoking cessation programs at the CDC recommended level. Encourage effective “exposure free” company policies (11) and city ordinances (12) that can support an effective state law.

For details please see: https://residentialcarefortwo.blogspot.com.