Smoke-Free Shreveport Celebrates 1st Anniversary

April 26th marks the one-year anniversary of Shreveports historic achievement as the first Louisiana city to adopt a comprehensive clean indoor air ordinance, prohibiting smoking in most public places. Shreveports passage initiated a movement of smoke-free ordinances across Louisiana. In less than a years time, 13 smoke-free ordinances have been passed providing secondhand smoke protection for more than one million Louisiana residents.

Shreveport resident and restaurant enthusiast Dianne Dawson says that Shreveports smoke-free law allows her to eat out with her family more often. I definitely appreciate smoke-free environments. I eat out with my family more often as a result of the smoke-free ordinance, says Dawson. According to George Casten, owner of George’s Grill, which went smoke-free prior to the passage of the ordinance, Initially I lost some long time customers who smoke, but they have retuned and business has increased since I made the restaurant smoke-free.

While progress on the smoke-free front continues to be made, city and parish governments lack the authority to include bars, casinos and restaurants (that serve alcohol) in local smoke-free ordinances, which means workers in the hospitality industry remain largely unprotected. A statewide poll released last week by the American Heart Association reveals overwhelming support for a smoke-free workplace law among registered voters in Louisiana. In fact, 69% of respondents supported comprehensive smoke-free laws. The poll also indicated that 95% of respondents felt people should not be exposed to secondhand smoke in the workplace.

Educating non-smoking residents about the fact that they represent a large political majority has played a crucial role in developing overwhelming public support for clean indoor air laws at the local level. Now, smoke-free advocates are turning their eyes toward the state seeking protections from secondhand smoke exposure for workers under state law. Representative Billy Wayne Montgomery of Haughton and Senator Rob Marionneaux of Livonia have sponsored the Louisiana Smoke-free Air Act that provides protection for a broader spectrum of workers under state law. The Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee is scheduled to consider the bill on Wednesday, April 26.

According to tobacco control advocates, the ultimate goal of smoke-free laws is to protect nonsmokers from the health effects associated with secondhand smoke. One Shreveport resident and business owner agrees. Lawson Myrick, owner of Myrick’s Barber Shop also went smoke-free prior to the passing of the ordinance. Lawson and his doctor believe that 50+ years of exposure secondhand smoke compromised his immune system, causing him to be hospitalized with double pneumonia. When Myricks doctor asked him how long he had smoked, Myrick was stunned and replied Ive never smoke a day in my life. After his release from the hospital and returning to work at his barbershop, he posted No Smoking signs and claims that his stance has helped increase business.

More than 6,400 Louisianians die each year from tobacco-related disease. Health care costs to treat smoking-related illnesses in Louisiana are approximately $1.35 billion each year, $611 million of which is paid through the Medicaid program. Additionally, smoking causes productivity losses that can result in early retirement, disability or early death, which costs the state $1.79 billion each year.

Local governments have an obligation to protect the health of their citizenry by eliminating secondhand smoke from the workplace. Its that simple, says Feamula Bradley, Shreveport Area Regional Coordinator for The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living. Shreveports bold action empowered cities and parishes across the state to its lead, a crucial step that will ultimately minimize tobacco-related disease in our state and make Louisiana a healthier place to live and work.”