No Smoking Signs

Many non-smoking signs have been placed in public places, office buildings, restaurants and hotels. There are more and more cities and states that are adopting the ban of smoking cigarettes in indoor and public spaces. Scientific studies have proven that is a hazard to everyone's health, including the innocent by standing non-smokers. Many restaurants have for a long time had smoking sections inside. Customers were able to sit in a non-smoky area or join fellow cigarette smokers in another part of the restaurant. Many of these same restaurants have banned cigarette smoking and have placed no smoking signs in their windows. Although this may decrease business for some, the overall health of customers is more important. This also goes for employees. There is no smoking in the work place and in return also helps to protect non-smokers who work there.

Non-smoking Hotels

Hotels have also put up no smoking signs. Like the restaurant, there are rooms in the hotel that allows smoking within. Some hotels have cut that out all together to cut costs of ventilation. Some hotels still hold this tradition since the smoke will not bother non-smokers. The smoking of cigarettes has to be done within the room though. There is to be no smoking out near the pool and lobby because the smoking ban in public places. New York has even banned public smoking statewide.

Also with signs of no cigarettes are public places such as parks and attractions, due to the fact that there are a lot of people there who likely don't smoke. At these parks and attractions are also children. Those less than 18 months are susceptible to getting bronchitis and pneumonia from second hand smoke.

In Illinois, there is a Smoke-free Iliinois Act. The new law went effect on New Year's Day 2008. There are web sites dedicated to the law, asking businesses and companies to post non-smoking posters on their doors and windows. There are also links to where you can post complaints. The new Illinois law was created due to research facts about second hand smoke containing carcinogens (or cancer causing agents) that cause 65,000 deaths each year nationwide. About 2,900 Illinois citizens die every year from exposure to the carcinogens of second hand tobacco smoke.

Second Hand Smoke is Dangerous

Second hand smoke is inhaled through two ways: through mainstream smoke and through sidestream smoke. Sidestream smoke is the smoke that comes from the lit end of the cigarette. This type of smoke is known to have 65 cancer causing agents, which is more those contained in mainstream smoke. Mainstream smoke is smoke that is exhaled from the cigarette smoker. The Surgeon's General report in 2006 says that there is no safe level of exposure to second hand smoke. Research studies show that illnesses such as lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema and respiratory illnesses can coincide with the inhalation of cigarette tobacco smoke (directly and through second hand smoke).

Companies and businesses nationwide are looking to stop the harmful cigarette smoking from occurring in and around their premises. The idea is to help keep non-smokers healthy and to clean the air of their environment and community (also boosts its value). Businesses also do this to protect employees while in the work place.