Gov. Doyle calls for swift action on statewide smoking initiative
MADISON - Governor Jim Doyle today urged the Legislature to take swift action on comprehensive statewide smokefree legislation that will ban smoking, increase the cost of cigarettes, and expand smoking cessation and prevention programs to improve public health for people in Wisconsin. Making Wisconsin smokefree will help prevent Wisconsin kids from starting to smoke and help motivate adults to quit smoking.
"We all know the direction that history is going on this issue," Governor Doyle said. "It's only a matter of time before the whole country goes smoke free - Wisconsin should be leading the way. I ask that the Legislature take swift action on smokefree legislation for the citizens of Wisconsin."
Yesterday, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty signed legislation to make Minnesota smoke free by October 1 of this year. Similar legislation has passed both houses in Illinois and awaits Governor Rod Blagojevich's signature. Minnesota and Illinois join 23 other states and commonwealths, plus the District of Columbia, with laws that require 100 percent smoke free workplaces, restaurants and bars. Among those 23 states is Maryland, where Governor Martin O'Malley signed a bill to ban smoking in restaurants and bars statewide just today.
To address public health and the hazards of second-hand smoke, Governor Doyle is calling on the Legislature to pass statewide smokefree legislation that is fair and equitable - banning smoking in all public buildings, workplaces, restaurants, and taverns.
The Governor also proposed an increase in the cigarette tax by $1.25 and said he would dedicate the funds to paying the cost of tobacco-related illness. A study from the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids projects that because of this increase over 42,000 Wisconsin adults will quit smoking; over 84,000 kids in Wisconsin will never start; nearly 12,000 smoking-affected births will be avoided; and overall will result in a 20 percent reduction in the number of kids who smoke.
Over five years ago, Wisconsin increased the cigarette tax to $0.77 per pack. Since then, nearly 20,000 Wisconsin smokers quit. This increase will be coupled with a major and long-overdue campaign to help people quit smoking and live healthier lives.
According to the American Cancer Society, 5,000 kids try their first cigarette every day and 2,000 of them become regular smokers. One-third will eventually die from their addiction.
The U.S. Surgeon General, the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association report that exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory disease - even in non-smokers.
Since 2000, the smoking rate among Wisconsin high school students has decreased by 40 percent. And recently Governor Doyle announced that Wisconsin had reduced the illegal sales of tobacco products to minors to the lowest point in state history.
For more information about the impact of smoking, visit the American Cancer Society's Web site at www.cancer.org.
For more information on the Governor's plan to make Wisconsin smokefree, visit: http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/journal_media_detail.asp?prid=2501&locid=19
To view a map of states with smokefree legislation, visit: http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/docview.asp?docid=11235
In the meantime, readers may also find this story interesting, as well.
"We all know the direction that history is going on this issue," Governor Doyle said. "It's only a matter of time before the whole country goes smoke free - Wisconsin should be leading the way. I ask that the Legislature take swift action on smokefree legislation for the citizens of Wisconsin."
Yesterday, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty signed legislation to make Minnesota smoke free by October 1 of this year. Similar legislation has passed both houses in Illinois and awaits Governor Rod Blagojevich's signature. Minnesota and Illinois join 23 other states and commonwealths, plus the District of Columbia, with laws that require 100 percent smoke free workplaces, restaurants and bars. Among those 23 states is Maryland, where Governor Martin O'Malley signed a bill to ban smoking in restaurants and bars statewide just today.
To address public health and the hazards of second-hand smoke, Governor Doyle is calling on the Legislature to pass statewide smokefree legislation that is fair and equitable - banning smoking in all public buildings, workplaces, restaurants, and taverns.
The Governor also proposed an increase in the cigarette tax by $1.25 and said he would dedicate the funds to paying the cost of tobacco-related illness. A study from the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids projects that because of this increase over 42,000 Wisconsin adults will quit smoking; over 84,000 kids in Wisconsin will never start; nearly 12,000 smoking-affected births will be avoided; and overall will result in a 20 percent reduction in the number of kids who smoke.
Over five years ago, Wisconsin increased the cigarette tax to $0.77 per pack. Since then, nearly 20,000 Wisconsin smokers quit. This increase will be coupled with a major and long-overdue campaign to help people quit smoking and live healthier lives.
According to the American Cancer Society, 5,000 kids try their first cigarette every day and 2,000 of them become regular smokers. One-third will eventually die from their addiction.
The U.S. Surgeon General, the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association report that exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory disease - even in non-smokers.
Since 2000, the smoking rate among Wisconsin high school students has decreased by 40 percent. And recently Governor Doyle announced that Wisconsin had reduced the illegal sales of tobacco products to minors to the lowest point in state history.
For more information about the impact of smoking, visit the American Cancer Society's Web site at www.cancer.org.
For more information on the Governor's plan to make Wisconsin smokefree, visit: http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/journal_media_detail.asp?prid=2501&locid=19
To view a map of states with smokefree legislation, visit: http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/docview.asp?docid=11235
In the meantime, readers may also find this story interesting, as well.
posted by Cheryl Hentz at 2:59 PM
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