Cigarettes

(Nolo, 2002). Those that do not smoke feel it is an infringement of what they consider to be a reasonable right not to have to breath other people's cigarette smoke while at work. During the 1970's the dangers of secondhand smoke were beginning to amass and a movement for nonsmokers emerged. When it was proven that secondhand smoke was harmful to nonsmokers who inhale it passively, (Koop, C. Everett et al. 1996), the public became less tolerant of smoking in the workplace as well as public places. Exposure to tobacco smoke remains a health hazard that is completely preventable. Many state and local laws for clean indoor air reduce but do not eliminate nonsmoker's exposure to secondhand smoke and smoking bans appear to be the most effective method of reducing exposure to secondhand smoke.
             Although there are no federal laws that directly control smoking in the workplace, (Nolo, 2002) many city and county ordinances ban smoking in the workplace. On the other hand, half of the states make it illegal to discriminate against those who smoke during non-working hours. However, many states protect employees from unwanted smoke on the job. Workplaces nationwide have gone smoke free to provide clean indoor air to protect employees. Tobacco smoke contains thousands of different chemicals (ASH, 2001) know to be carcinogens (cancer causing substances) that are released into the air as particles or gases. To date, workers have been awarded unemployment, disability and worker's compensation benefits for illness and loss of work due to exposure to secondhand smoke. Twenty states and the District of Columbia limit smoking in private worksites and forty-one states and the District of Columbia have laws restricting smoking in state government buildings. In 1997, President Clinton signed an executive order requiring federal buildings to become smoke-free. .
             Simply separating smokers and nonsmokers within the same airspace reduces, but does not eliminate, exposure of nonsmokers to secondhand smoke.