There is no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure. Period.

So why are 40,000 Truckee Meadows locals still subjected to deadly secondhand smoke and e-cigarette fumes when they go to work? It’s time to make every workplace in the Truckee Meadows smoke-free — no exceptions.

The goal of Smoke Free Truckee Meadows is to ensure all employees in all workplaces are treated equally. We don’t have to wait for state law to change — our city councils and county commission can enact local regulations now to make our workplaces safe and smoke free.

Smoke Free Truckee Meadows was started by locals who care deeply about the health and well-being of people in Washoe County. Here are the facts:

• Most workplaces in the Truckee Meadows enjoy smoke-free air thanks to the 2006 Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act, but 40,000 employees of casinos, some bars and nightclubs are still not protected from the harms of secondhand smoke and e-cigarette fumes.
• Secondhand exposure to tobacco smoke and vape fumes makes people who work in these places sick. Breathing in toxins, gases, chemicals, and particles can cause damage and disease in virtually every organ of the body — including heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. Learn more about the dangers.
• Casino and bar employees are exposed to working conditions that mimic the air quality of the worst wildfires in the West. Read about the conditions.
• Air ventilation systems simply do not protect against secondhand smoke. They use perfume to mask the smell, but don’t eliminate the dangers. Learn more.
• Other communities have discovered that smoke-free legislation does not negatively impact business. More than 1,000 gambling venues in the U.S. have already gone smoke free. Learn how smoke-free destinations are growing, and many are making record profits.

Everyone deserves to breathe clean, whether on the job or enjoying nightlife, and no one should have to put their health at risk just to earn a paycheck. It’s especially unjust that we deny smoke-free protections to our service industry workers, who tend to be lower-income.

Smoke-free workplaces in the Truckee Meadows are long overdue. Help to get regulations passed in Reno, Sparks and Washoe County by signing this petition. To find out more about why individuals and organizations across our community are supporting Smoke Free Truckee Meadows, visit www.smokefreetruckeemeadows.org.