| Smoking ban: one year later |
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Posted: Wednesday, October 1, 2008 10:01 pm
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By LINSEY MAUGHAN
Staff Writer
WASECA — The Freedom to Breathe Act, which became effective on Oct. 1, 2007, was supported by 76 percent of Minnesotans a year ago, according to a state poll by ClearWay Minnesota. When polled last week, ClearWay found that 77 percent of Minnesotans now support the smoking ban.
While the polls prove that not much has changed in terms of support for the ban, the Waseca Medical Center affirms that decreased exposure to secondhand smoke is something to celebrate.
“Secondhand smoke is quite dangerous; to begin, it contains at least 250 chemicals known to be toxic, including more than 50 that can cause cancer,” said Dr. Chinasa Anugwom, a family medicine provider at the Waseca Medical Center. “What makes it quite worrisome is the fact that there is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke exposure, and even brief exposure can be dangerous.”
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Secondhand smoke exposure in adults can cause lung diseases such as cancer, chronic emphysema and bronchitis, as well as heart diseases such as a heart attack or stroke.
“It’s been known to increase these risks by up to three fold,” Anugwom said.
In a separate study a year ago, before the Freedom to Breathe Act was in place, ClearWay Minnesota found that 17 percent of Minnesotans smoked — three percent less than the nation’s average of 20 percent, and a record low for Minnesota.
For those looking for help with quitting smoking now, the Waseca Medical Center offers multiple options.
“Here at WMC, we take smoking cessation very seriously, and we work hard to identify a plan that best suites the individual patient’s needs,” Anugwom said. “A variety of methods and medications can be used.”
For more information about Waseca Medical Center’s Smoking Cessation Program, call 507-835-1210.
Linsey Maughan may be reached at (507)837-5449 or lmaughan@wasecacountynews.com
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