Why restrict smoking in public places and workplaces?
This legislation is about protecting the health of the public and workers by reducing the exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke. Second-hand smoke is the leading cause of workplace death in Canada and the third largest cause of lung cancer. PEI has the highest rates of lung cancer in the country. It is estimated that tobacco kills 225 Islanders each year.Q: What is second-hand tobacco smoke? Second-hand tobacco smoke is a mixture of smoke from the burning end of a cigarette, pipe or cigar and smoke exhaled by a smoker. Non-smokers in a smoky bar for 2 hours will smoke the equivalent of 4 cigarettes. Second-hand smoke contains over 53 carcinogenic chemicals and is responsible for an estimated 25 deaths in PEI a year and it costs an estimated $1.24 million a year in health costs and $5.5 million in lost productivity.
