All Mississippians have the right to breathe clean air and live, work, study, and play in a smoke-free environment. To protect the health of citizens, the state has implemented laws and policies to make communities smoke-free. In some cases, these laws were introduced gradually, with the year provided being the year in which the law was first applied to the three environments considered. Smoking and vaping, as well as exposure to second-hand smoke and aerosols, can have a detrimental effect on the respiratory system and can cause a person's immune system to become weakened, known as immunosuppression.
To further protect people from these risks, anti-smoking laws should also prohibit the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), marijuana, and hookah. When someone is actively smoking, the maximum and average levels of outdoor tobacco smoke (OTS) measured in outdoor cafés and patios of restaurants and bars near smokers can be comparable to indoor tobacco smoke concentrations. In cases where a law passed by a higher level of government prevails over a law passed by a lower level, this is known as preference. Following an evaluation of the health hazards of Las Vegas casino employees' exposure to second-hand smoke in the workplace, which included indoor air quality testing and biomarker evaluations, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) concluded that casino employees are exposed to dangerous levels of second-hand smoke at work and that their bodies absorb high levels of specific tobacco chemicals, NNK and cotinine.
To reduce exposure to second-hand smoke and e-cigarette aerosols or vaporizers, an anti-smoking policy should be adopted that prohibits smoking or vaping indoors and transfers smoking or vaping to socially distanced outdoor areas away from entrances. This could help mitigate worker and public exposure to carcinogens and toxins, as well as COVID-19. Unfortunately, approximately 20,000 employees at the state's 30 casinos are still exposed to second-hand smoke in their workplaces. The Surgeon General's report How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease states that even occasional exposure to second-hand smoke is harmful. Low levels of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke can cause a rapid and abrupt increase in dysfunction and inflammation of the lining of blood vessels, which are implicated in heart attacks and strokes.
Before Delaware passed its anti-smoking law in 2002, no state had adopted a comprehensive law banning smoking in workplaces, restaurants, and private bars. The Surgeon General has concluded that the only way to completely protect non-smokers from exposure to second-hand smoke is to ban smoking in all indoor areas; separating smokers from non-smokers, cleaning the air, and ventilating buildings cannot eliminate exposure to second-hand smoke. Furthermore, non-smokers exposed to third-hand smoke in a casino are at an even greater risk than those living in a home contaminated by third-hand smoke. Are there any exceptions to the smoke free law in Ellisville Mississippi? Yes, there are some exceptions. For example, private residences are exempt from this law unless they are used as childcare facilities or adult care facilities.
Additionally, certain designated smoking areas may be allowed if they meet certain criteria. It is important for everyone to understand the implications of this law so that they can take steps to protect themselves from second-hand smoke. By following these laws and regulations, we can ensure that all Mississippians have access to clean air.
