Ban To Occur Around U.S. House of Representatives Buildings; Legislation Pending For Other Federal Buildings

Washington, DC--Congressman Eliot Engel’s Healthy Air for Federal Workers Act (H.R. 4105), a measure which would essentially ban smoking within 25 feet of federal buildings, was put into practice this month around U.S. House of Representatives’ office buildings in Washington. Rep. Engel introduced the legislation last November during the same week as the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smoke Out, and during National Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

The bill is designed to protect federal workers, along with visitors to federal buildings, from second-hand smoke. According to the Surgeon General, secondhand smoke causes disease and premature death in both children and adults, even in those that do not smoke. H.R. 4105 would prohibit smoking in any area outside of a federal building which is within 25 feet of any of its entrances, exits, windows that open, or ventilation intakes.

“The Surgeon General reported in 2006 that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. One step we can take in limiting such exposure is to free the entrances of buildings of the clouds of smoke often found when smokers gather outside of entrances and exits. The problem with this is simple – how else are people going to avoid secondhand smoke when the only ways in and out of a building is blocked by smoke?” asked Rep. Engel, a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health. “I applaud this first step taken by House management, and urge other federal buildings to follow suit. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this measure to make such practices federal law.”

The new policy for the Capitol office buildings is for:

• Smoking to be prohibited in all interior public areas, such as lobbies, foyers, hallways, corridors, stairwells, elevators, food and service facilities, event rooms, committee hearing rooms, parking garages, interior courtyards and other public accessible areas
• Smoking to be prohibited in any exterior public area within 25 feet of a public entrance or exit

While some employees have access to cessation programs through their health plans, Rep. Engel is additionally asking that an internal initiative or nicotine replacement therapies be available through the Capitol medical offices.

“The American Lung Association welcomes this as an important step towards a smoke-free U.S. House of Representatives – when all Members, staff and visitors are protected from secondhand smoke,” said President and CEO Charles D. Connor. “We thank Mr. Engel for his commitment to reducing exposure to dangerous secondhand smoke.”

According to the American Cancer Society, in 2009 there have been 219,440 new lung cancer cases and 159,390 reported deaths from the disease. The American Lung Association states there are generally 1.2 million new cases annually worldwide.