Cancer Society Joins in Thanks to Fallin for Non-Smoking Initiatives
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Applauds Governor’s Proposal to Improve Health of Oklahoma
Oklahoma City, Okla. — (February 4, 2013) –Today, Governor Mary Fallin urged the
legislature to grant municipalities the authority to pass local smoke-free ordinances. Governor
Fallin included the remarks in her State of the State address. “I urge the legislature to restore
local rights to allow cities to be able to pass smoke-free ordinances, as tobacco is the number one
killer in Oklahoma,” she said. “If a community wants to take action to improve the health of their
citizens, let’s let them do it.”
“We are encouraged by the Governor’s comments in support of local control,” says Pat Marshall,
Oklahoma government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action
Network.. “We urge lawmakers to follow the Governor’s lead and grant local communities the
authority to protect the health of their citizens.”
Current state law prohibits Oklahoma municipalities from passing local smoke-free ordinances to
protect workers and patrons from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. “Everyone has the
right to breathe smoke-free air,” said Marshall. “City councils throughout Oklahoma recognize
this and want to protect their citizens, but can’t do anything about it until the Oklahoma
legislature acts. Citizens want this resolution passed as indicated last week when Sand Springs
became the 10th community to pass such a resolution joining Clinton, Cordell, Elk City, Hulbert,
Muskogee, Oklahoma City, Prague, Seminole and Tahlequah.”
Secondhand smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals including hundreds that are toxic and
about 70 that can cause cancer and causes an estimated 46,000 heart disease deaths and 3,400
lung cancer deaths annually among adult nonsmokers in the United States. “The science on the
harms of secondhand smoke is clear,” said Marshall. No one should have to choose between
their health and a paycheck.”
Oklahoma is one of only 13 states that limit the ability of municipalities to pass local smoke-free
ordinances and one of 26 states without a statewide law that requires all workplaces, restaurants
and bars to be smoke-free.
###
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports
evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem.
ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority.
ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need
to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.acscan.org.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Pat Marshall
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Phone: (405) 841-5828 office; (817) 721-5098 cell
Email: pat.marshall@cancer.org