Senate Bill 63, for a smoke-free Alaska, should be considered no-brainer legislation. It is a lifesaving (and money saving) bill that is supported by a large majority of legislative members, Alaskan citizens and science.
There is no safe level of secondhand smoke. It puts non-smokers at increased risk of early death from hypertension, heart disease, stroke and other diseases, and adds millions to health care costs each year. No place in Alaska should be allowed to opt out of providing clean air for its residents.
E-cigarettes and marijuana should also be banned from indoor use in public places as both add potentially harmful substances to the air that can impact the health of others.
Everyone deserves the right to breathe smoke free air. Please register your support for SB 63 by contacting Speaker of the House Rep. Bryce Edgmon (907-465-4451); Majority Leader Rep. Chris Tuck (465-2095); Rules Committee Chair Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux (465-4998).
Doug Sanvik,
Juneau