South Dakota Tobacco-Free Kids Network: Smoke-Free Law is Saving Lives

(November 10, 2011)—

On November 10, 2010, the statewide smoke-free law passed by the 2009 South Dakota Legislature,  signed into law by then Governor Rounds, and ratified by more than 64% of the state’s voters in the general election held on November 2, 2011, went into effect.  The law requires all workplaces and public places, including Deadwood casinos and video lottery casinos, to be smoke free.  To mark the anniversary of this successful, common-sense law, Dr. Allen Nord, Chairman of the South Dakota Tobacco-free Kids Network, released the following statement.

“The smoke-free law, which passed by 65% in 2010, has proven successful in improving the health of our state. Today, no worker in South Dakota has to choose between their health and a paycheck because of the health risks associated with exposure to secondhand smoke.  South Dakota has implemented the smoke free law successfully, and, as a result, our workers have healthier places to earn a living.

Public health policy works; it saves lives and money.  This first anniversary of the State’s smoke free law is a reminder of how far we have come in addressing the human and financial toll of tobacco in South Dakota. In the last decade, South Dakota has seen a 50% reduction in middle-school smoking, 30% fewer high-school students lighting up and an all-time low for adult smoking rates – 15%.

This drop in tobacco use is directly related to the policy changes the voters of South Dakota have overwhelmingly approved: the statewide smoke free law in 2010, that protects all workers from the known harms of secondhand smoke; and the 2006 voter-initiated increase in tobacco tax that dedicates funding for the State’s tobacco prevention and cessation program.  The voters have seen the critical need to protect people from the known health impacts of exposure to secondhand smoke and to invest in a solid tobacco cessation and prevention program to keep our young people from beginning to use tobacco and help those who use tobacco to successfully quit.
 
The voters made the right choices, and our State is healthier for it. ”

On November 10, 2010, South Dakota became the 29th state to implement a comprehensive, statewide, smoke-free law.

The South Dakota Tobacco-Free Kids Network is funded by contributions and in-kind services from its member organizations. The South Dakota Tobacco-Free Kids Network does not receive any funding from the state or from South Dakota’s share of the 1998 Multi-State Tobacco Settlement agreement. For more information about the Network, please visit our website at www.sdtobaccofree.org.