Smokefree Air

2. What is Smokefree Air Mississippi? The Smokefree Air Mississippi initiative is an effort led by the Mississippi State Department of Health to educate and inform Mississippians about the very real dangers of exposure to secondhand smoke. The initiative is implemented through grassroots partners and a statewide media campaign. The goal of the initiative is to improve the health of all Mississippians by educating and advocating for a smokefree environment in all public places. SmokefreeAir

3. There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services SmokefreeAir

4. The toll of secondhand smoke 550 deaths annually among Mississippi non-smokers Is more harmful to children than adults Unnecessary danger for workers Has immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system Causes heart disease and lung cancer SmokefreeAir

5. Breathing secondhand smoke is not an option Some workplaces expose workers to smoke-filled air for prolonged periods of time Separating smokers from non-smokers does not work. . . there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke Fans & high-tech ventilation do not work (OSHA, ASHRAE) Our Workplaces

6. Only by eliminating smoking in indoor spaces can non-smokers be protected from the dangers of secondhand smoke. SmokefreeAir There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.

7. Problems even before birth Babies whose mothers smoke while pregnant and babies who are exposed to secondhand smoke after birth are more likely to die from SIDS Mothers exposed to secondhand smoke while pregnant are more likely to have lower birthweight babies Our Children

8. Growing bodies need smokefree air Because their bodies are developing rapidly, infants and young children are more vulnerable to the poisons in secondhand smoke Children take in more secondhand smoke because they breathe more rapidly than adults Our Children

9. Growing bodies need smokefree air Secondhand smoke causes respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia in infants and young children Exposure to secondhand smoke causes children with asthma to experience more frequent and severe attacks Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at increased risk for ear infections Our Children

10. Lost Lives & Wasted Taxpayer Dollars Treatment of tobacco-related diseases costs Mississippi $264 million each year in direct Medicaid costs The state pays $1.04 in direct Medicaid costs for every pack of cigarettes purchased in Mississippi Smoking is estimated to cost Mississippi businesses $1.4 billion per year in lost productivity Our Economy Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

11. Widespread Support 80% of Mississippians do not smoke 76% of all Mississippians believe that worksites should be smokefree 81% of all Mississippians believe restaurants should be smokefree 57% of Mississippi smokers believe restaurants should be smokefree 2009 Mississippi Social Climate Survey of Tobacco Control SmokefreeAir

12. Statewide Media Campaign SmokefreeAir • Television • Radio • Newsprint • Internet • Mobile App • Social Media • Sports Marketing

13. Statewide Media Campaign Sports Marketing SmokefreeAir • Southern Miss vs Kansas – 9/17 • Delta State vs Henderson State – 9/25 • Miss State vs Georgia – 9/25 • Southern Miss vs East Carolina – 10/9 • Alcorn vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff – 10/21 • MS Valley State vs Grambling – 10/23 • Ole Miss vs Auburn – 10/30 • Miss State vs Arkansas – 11/20 • Jackson State vs Alcorn – 11/20 • Ole Miss vs Miss State – 11/27

14. Grassroots Activities: Policy Development SmokefreeAir • Engaging Municipal Leadership • Promoting Mini-Grants for Ordinance Development • Sharing Data on the Health and Economic Benefits of Local Comprehensive Smokefree Air Ordinances

15. SmokefreeAir Grassroots Activities “Clearing the Air” Community Forums • Increase interaction with city, county and state officials • Engage local media with consistent secondhand smoke messaging • Educate community leaders, business owners and citizens on the benefits of smokefree air • Encourage support of the Smokefree Air Mississippi Initiative

16. SmokefreeAir Grassroots Activities “Clearing the Air” Community Forums • Cleveland – 10/26 • Hattiesburg – 10/27 • Coast – 10/28 • Natchez – 11/3 • Starkville – 11/4 • Meridian – 11/9 • Oxford – 11/10 • Hernando – 11/16 • Jackson – 11/18

17. Grassroots Partners SmokefreeAir

18. Take Action Now Contact Smokefree Air Mississippi SmokefreeAirMS.com/coalitions.php 1-866-724-6115 You Deserve Better Smokefree Air Mississippi is a program led by the Mississippi State Department of Health