Smoke-Free St. Louis is a broad-based community coalition of thousands of individuals and numerous community groups and businesses dedicated to raising awareness of the dangers of secondhand smoke and the need for a smoke-free St. Louis. A 100% comprehensive smoke-free policy is the simplest and most effective way to protect our region's citizens and employees from the dangers of secondhand smoke exposure.
On January 2, 2011, the St. Louis County Clean Indoor Air Code and the St. Louis City Clean Air Act went into effect. All workplaces, restaurants are smoke-free but the laws have various loopholes that have allowed some businesses to be exempt including casinos, some bars, bar & grills, banquet halls, and bowling alleys.
We believe all employees deserve smoke-free protections, no matter where they work. Workers in places that allow smoking are often forced to choose between a paycheck and their health. And while the current laws in St. Louis City and County have brought momentum toward achieving health protection from secondhand smoke, they still fall short of protecting the health of those employees and patrons most exposed, especially those in bars and casinos.
St. Louis deserves a stronger, comprehensive law that fully protects everyone's right to breathe smoke-free air - and a 2011 poll proves voters agree. With the abundant science and knowledge about the dangers of secondhand smoke, exemptions for certain workplaces are no longer acceptable.
Everyone has the right to breathe smoke-free indoor air!
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