SB 500 the Smoke-Free Illinois Act

On May 30, SB 500, the Smoke-Free Illinois Act was sent to the Governor’s desk for his signature. It is important to let the Governor know that you care about this bill. Please go to http://www.smokefreeillinois.net/ to sign a petition and send an e-mail to Governor Blagojevich asking him to sign the bill. 

We are working with the Governor’s office to hold a bill-signing ceremony if he agrees to sign it. Information about the ceremony will be posted on the Smoke-Free Illinois web site as it becomes available. If the Governor does not sign the bill after 60 days, it automatically becomes law.

Protecting the Health of Casino Workers

Thanks to your efforts, the American Cancer Society and our partners were able to defeat SB 890 a bill exempting riverboat casinos from the Smoke-Free Illinois Act. This legislation would leave casino workers exposed even though the remainder of workers in Illinois would be protected from deadly exposure to secondhand smoke.

Employees of the gaming industry are at a disproportionate risk.  A 2004 study of Delaware casinos revealed that smoke-filled casinos have six times more cancer-causing particles than highways and city streets during rush hour traffic.  After going smoke-free, indoor air pollution in the same casinos virtually vanished.

Although SB 890 was defeated, we will remain vigilant to defeat any further attacks on the Smoke-Free Illinois Act as well. If you would like to receive updates on Smoke-Free Illinois, go to http://www.smokefreeillinois.net/ to sign up.