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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to recognize the 5th anniversary of the
4Smokefree Illinois Act and to proclaim the month of January as
5Smokefree Illinois Month; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Secondhand smoke is a major health hazard and
7there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke;
8approximately 50,000 deaths each year are attributable to
9secondhand smoke exposure according to the U.S. Surgeon
10General, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and
11the National Cancer Institute; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Separate smoking areas, air cleaning, or
13ventilation does not eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke;
14smokefree policies are the only effective protection from
15exposure to secondhand smoke and smokefree laws provide
16immediate health benefits, most notably a decline in heart
17attack hospitalizations; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Hospitalizations in Illinois for tobacco-related
19diseases have declined since the Smokefree Illinois Act was
20enacted; it is estimated that more than 35,000 heart disease
21hospitalizations among Illinois residents have been prevented
22because of the Smokefree Illinois Act, resulting in an

 

 

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1estimated savings of $1.8 billion in hospital costs alone,
2according to Illinois Department of Health data; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The Smokefree Illinois Act protects all residents
4and visitors regardless of where they work or play and it
5attracts visitors from states with little or no protection from
6secondhand smoke; and
 
7    WHEREAS, The health and economic benefits of the Illinois
8Smokefree Act are widely recognized; therefore, be it
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
10NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
11we recognize the 5th anniversary of the Smokefree Illinois Act
12and proclaim the month of January as Smokefree Illinois Month
13to remind the public about the benefits of protecting everyone
14from the health risks associated with secondhand smoke and the
15importance of prohibiting smoking in all public places and
16workplaces; and be it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18presented to the American Lung Association and the American
19Cancer Society as an expression of our esteem and respect.