<![CDATA[Pembroke Sentinel]]> <![CDATA[Pembroke Sentinel]]> /Portals/2/logos/__TFMF_tq0lqbrwpphbjz45su3w2my4_c9fd9fe7-a2b8-4929-9e68-2d57282f7f60_0___Selected.jpg en-us Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved. Sat, 25 May 2013 17:19:18 GMT 15 <![CDATA[Local businesses adopt smoking bans]]> By Lauren Harnedy

Lauren Harnedy
comic

Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton prohibited smoking as of April 2, and the Independence Mall in Kingston began enforcing a smoking ban inside and outside of the mall as of May 31. Many studies have proved that smoking bans can reduce health care cost, fires, and quantities of liter; as well as improve work productivity and increase cleanliness. Scientific research has also shown that tobacco smoking is hazardous to smokers and nonsmokers. Throughout the past ten years, businesses throughout the state have banned smoking. The increase spread of smoking bans throughout the state has upset some, but many seem to agree that smoking bans are needed. The director of Center for Disease Control, Thomas R. Frieden said, "Eliminating smoking from worksites, restaurants, and bars is a low-cost, high-impact strategy that will protect nonsmokers and allow them to live healthier, longer, more productive lives while lowering health care costs associated with secondhand smoke." Frieden also added, "While there has been a lot of progress over the past decade, far too many Americans continue to be exposed to secondhand smoke at their workplaces, increasing risk of cancer and heart attacks." The assistant director of the Center for Disease Control, Darryl Konter said, "Completely prohibiting smoking in all public places and workplaces is the only way to fully protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke exposure." The director of the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion said, "Secondhand smoke is responsible for 46,000 heart disease deaths, and 3,400 lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers each year." The spokesperson for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, John Jacob stated, "Ever since Massachusetts banned smoking in workplaces in 2004, businesses have been expanding their own policies, banning smoking in outdoors areas on their property. Secondhand smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals and poisons, including lead and ammonia. According to Surgeon General, there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke." Catherine Cameron, the Pembroke High School’s nurse said, "According to the Center for Disease Control, secondhand smoke can lead to ear infections, respiratory symptoms such as coughing and sneezing, respiratory infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis, more severe asthma attacks, and sudden infant death. Exposure to secondhand smoke can also increase the risks for lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. Just as no amount of cigarette smoking considered safe, no amount of secondhand smoke is considered safe, either. With cardiovascular disease being the number one cause of death in the United states, and with the prevalence of asthma, smoking bans have been very effective in helping to decrease the amount of exposure to first hand and secondhand smoke that contributes to the incidence and severity of these diseases. I believe that smoking bans are now the norm, are necessary, and have contributed to the well-being of the individual as well as the public at large." Beth Kelly went to Braintree High School from 1985 to 1989. She said, "We did have a smoking area, it was allowed for juniors and seniors only. It was taken away between 1986 and 1987, I do not know why it was, but they stopped them everywhere. My opinion is that second hand smoking is the worst. I fully agree with restaurants and bars that ban smoking. It has made people cut down on smoking a tremendous amount, myself included." Senior Shayna Nolan said, "Smoking bans should be necessary, because without them, people who do smoke are also causing others health risks because of secondhand smoke. And nobody enjoys the smell of smoke, it’s unpleasant." Then, sophomore Addison Fine said, "I believe smoking bans are necessary. Not only does smoking hurt the person smoking, but it also hurts other people through secondhand smoke." "I think it’s necessary to have smoking bans because it’s bad for the smoker, the environment, and the people around the smoker. And it’s pretty gross," said sophomore Alex Keelan. ]]> Thu, 20 Sep 2012 19:13:16 GMT