Not yet smoke-free? Here is what you can do…
ASK FOR LEGISLATION
Do you work in a public place or work environment where smoking is allowed? Are you ready to join the trend to smoke-free places?
Take action, have your say, claim your right to clean air. Protect yourself and everyone around you from the harmful health effects of tobacco smoke.
- Work with your employer to make your workplace a 100% smoke-free place for the health of all employees. Start with a smoking ban on 31 May 2007. Everyone has the right to a smoke-free workplace.
- Launch a letter campaign aimed at lobbying policy makers in your country to pass smoke-free legislation. (See sample letter on the right).
- Promote a smoke-free home, too, to protect the ones you love.
IMPLEMENT 100% SMOKE-FREE POLICY
Are you a policy maker? Can you put in place a smoking ban on 31 May 2007? Will you make the change to a smoke-free environment permanent?
WHO urges policy makers to require by law that all indoor workplaces and public places be 100% smoke-free environments. Policy makers should be aware that voluntary policies do not work and are not an acceptable response to protecting the public from second-hand tobacco smoke (SHS). Only legislation that ensures equal and effective protection for all workers and the public is acceptable. This experience is consistent in country after country, where voluntary agreements are abandoned in favour of legislation.
Also, be aware that ventilation and designated smoking areas, whether or not separately ventilated from non-smoking areas, do not reduce exposure to a safe level of risk and should be avoided at all costs.