Senator Fuschillo & Tobacco Action Coalition of Long Island Celebrate 10th Anniversary of the Expanded Clean Indoor Air Act

     Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (R-Merrick) and the Tobacco Action Coalition of Long Island today celebrated the 10th anniversary of New York State’s expanded Clean Indoor Air Act. Senator Fuschillo authored the law to help protect individuals from the dangers of secondhand smoke. 

     “New York State’s expanded Clean Indoor Air Act was enacted to save lives and protect individuals from the dangers of secondhand smoke. As we have seen over the last 10 years, the law is working. Public health has improved, public support for the law continues to be strong, and New Yorkers are safer from the harmful effects of secondhand-smoke,” said Senator Fuschillo.

     New York’s expanded Clean Indoor Air Act banned smoking in almost all workplaces including bars, restaurants, bowling facilities, bingo halls and company vehicles protecting millions of New Yorkers from daily exposure to deadly secondhand smoke and the illnesses it causes. New York State was one of the first states in the nation to enact a comprehensive clean indoor air law.

     The law has been extremely effective in protecting individuals from the dangers of second-hand smoke. According to the New York State Department of Health’s Bureau of Tobacco Control, rates of hospitalizations for heart attacks decreased by 15% in the first 3 ½ years after the law took effect, saving lives and resulting in millions of dollars in healthcare cost savings. Public support for the law and compliance rates among restaurants and bars remain extremely high, according to the Bureau.

     “As we celebrate 10 years of New York's landmark Clean Indoor Air Act, let's remember the countless lives we have saved, the lung disease we have prevented and the New Yorkers who have enjoyed longer, healthier lives because of it,” said Jeff Seyler, President & CEO of the American Lung Association of the Northeast. “New York State has a history of leading efforts that promote public health and we look forward to working together to ensure that New York's leaders continue to implement policies and dedicate the resources necessary to reduce the toll that tobacco takes on New Yorkers."