Southeast Utah Public Health Department

No Safe Level of Exposure!

• What is Secondhand Smoke?
• The Surgeon General has Concluded
• Utah Indoor Clean Air Act
  • Reporting Violations
  • Request Free Signs
  • Statue & Rule

What is Secondhand Smoke?

• Secondhand smoke is composed of side stream smoke (the smoke released from the burning end of a cigarette) and exhaled mainstream smoke (the smoke exhaled by the smoker).
• While secondhand smoke has been referred to as environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in the past, the term "secondhand" smoke better captures the involuntary nature of the exposure.
• Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemical compounds.
• Secondhand smoke contains many of the same chemicals that are present in the smoke inhaled by smokers.
• Because side stream smoke is generated at lower temperatures and under different conditions than mainstream smoke, it contains higher concentrations of many of the toxins found in cigarette smoke.
• The National Toxicology Program estimates that at least 250 chemicals in secondhand smoke are known to be toxic or carcinogenic.
• Secondhand smoke has been designated as a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing agent) by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Toxicology Program, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and an occupational carcinogen by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
• Secondhand smoke contains more than 50 cancer-causing chemicals.
• When nonsmokers are exposed to secondhand smoke, they inhale many of the same cancer-causing chemicals that smokers inhale.

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The Surgeon General has concluded that:

• There is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke: even small amounts of secondhand smoke exposure can be harmful to people’s health.
• Many millions of Americans continue to be exposed to secondhand smoke.
• A smoke-free environment is the only way to fully protect nonsmokers from the dangers of secondhand smoke. Separating smokers from nonsmokers, cleaning the air, and ventilating buildings cannot eliminate exposure of nonsmokers to secondhand smoke.

Information contained on this highlight sheet has been taken directly from The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. For more information, please refer to the Resources and How to Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones from Secondhand Smoke highlight sheets. Additional highlight sheets are also available at www.cdc.gov/tobacco.

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Utah Indoor Clean Air Act

The Act is designed to protect Utahans and visitors to the state from exposure to the harmful effects of environmental tobacco smoke (commonly called second hand smoke). In general, "Smoking is prohibited in all enclosed indoor places of public access and publicly owned buildings and offices,..." UC 26-38-3(1).

Besides the statute, an administrative rule, Rule 392-510, has been promulgated for the Act. The Rule contains more operationally-oriented requirements in order to comply with the UICAA.

Leaders, owners, managers, and supervisors of businesses, government agencies, and other organizations are required to comply with provisions of both the statute and the rule.

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How Do I Report a Violation?

All violations can be reported by calling (435) 637-3671 or you can report your violation online.

Before you report a violation you may want to try to solve the problem by talking with the person causing it, your supervisor, or the building manager. If you are uncomfortable or don’t get a response when you complain, you should consider reporting the violation. When you make a complaint please be prepared to supply the following information:

• The name & address of the building
• The day & time that the violation occurred
• A detail description of the problem
• Any action you have taken to try to solve the problem yourself.

How Do I Request FREE Signs?

Are Signs Required?

Yes!

(1). In a place where smoking is prohibited entirely, the building owner, agent, or operator must conspicuously post a sign using the words, "No smoking is permitted in this establishment" or a similar statement, which shall also include the international no-smoking symbol, on all entrances or in a position clearly visible on entry into the place.

R392-510-12

You may request FREE signs by calling (435) 637-3671 or you can request signs online.

REQUEST SIGNS ONLINE!

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