Imagine a cigarette burning in an ashtray.  Think about the 4000 chemicals that make up the cigarette.  Think about the 40-60 chemicals within the cigarette that are carcinogenic.  Carcinogenic means these chemicals have the potential to cause cancer.  As the smoke emits into the air, imagine you and your children are breathing the chemicals that are spreading throughout the room. 

According to the Center for Disease Control 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, approximately 20.1% of adults nationwide and 22.4% of Ohioans are current smokers.  According to the Defiance County needs assessment conducted in 2005, 23% of Defiance County adults surveyed are current cigarette smokers.  Regarding secondhand smoke, 93% of those surveyed believe that secondhand smoke can cause unwanted health effects for children and adults who breathe in the smoke. (2005 Defiance County Needs Assessment – Great Lakes Marketing)

For information on the Smokefree Workplace Law, visit the Ohio Department of Health website.

 Additional websites of interest: