SR0318 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0318 LRB100 11969 MST 23853 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, There are 7,000 chemicals in secondhand smoke, hundreds of which are toxic and 70 of which are known to cause cancer; and

WHEREAS, Exposure to secondhand smoke has an immediate adverse impact on the cardiovascular system, damaging blood vessels, increasing the likelihood of clots, heart attacks, and strokes; it increases the risk of emphysema, lung cancer, and other chronic diseases and causes premature death in children and adults who do not smoke; and

WHEREAS, Tobacco use is responsible for 18,300 deaths in Illinois annually, including most lung cancer deaths; and

WHEREAS, Each year, the State of Illinois spends $5.49 billion on health care costs for tobacco-related illnesses and has to manage a Medicaid burden of $1.9 billion; these health and economic costs are shared by every Illinois resident, regardless of whether or not they smoke; and

WHEREAS, Proactive tobacco control policies can save lives and dollars; grassroots volunteers in Illinois worked for more than 30 years to pass legislation to reduce the harmful effects of smoking and secondhand smoke; and

WHEREAS, The 95th Illinois General Assembly passed Senate Bill 500 - the Smoke Free Illinois Act, prohibiting smoking in all workplaces and public places, including bars and restaurants on March 29, 2007; and

WHEREAS, Since the passage of the Smoke Free Illinois Act, there has been a nearly 20.5% decrease in hospitalizations from asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) among Illinois adults; the drop in asthma and heart attacks has resulted in savings of more than $1 billion for Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The adult smoking rate in Illinois in 2007 was 20.7%; as of 2017, the rate has fallen to 15.l%; the 2007 high school smoking rate was 21.7%; as of 2017, the rate has fallen to 15.1%; the 2007 middle school smoking rate was 8.8%; as of 2017, the rate has fallen to 2%; and

WHEREAS, Illinois children are growing up in a smoke-free public indoor environment, and do not remember, or have never heard the question "do you want to sit in the smoking or non-smoking section"; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare March 29, 2017 as "Smoke-Free Illinois Day" in recognition of the improved health benefits by Illinois going smoke-free ten years ago; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the American Lung Association as a symbol of our respect and esteem.