Doctors push for statewide smoke-free legislation - MSNewsNow.com - Jackson, MS

Doctors push for statewide smoke-free legislation

If the State of Mississippi outlawed smoking in all restaurants, bars, and establishments across the state, instead of depending on local ordinances, would the bulk of our health problems be solved?

A group of doctors gathered at the Mississippi State Capitol Thursday say yes. They're members of the Mississippi Medical Association.

"With a comprehensive smoke-free air law, we have almost immediately, on average, a 25% decrease in cardiovascular events, in other words heart attacks, that lead to hospitalizations in this state," says State Health Officer Dr. Mary Currier.

The physicians say a smoke-free air law would also improve stroke and infant mortality rates.

The State Medical Association, headed by Dr. Steve Demetropoulos of Pascagoula, is hoping a Senate bill that aims to make the state smoke-free will get some attention. 81 cities and towns across Mississippi are smoke-free or partially smoke-free.

A study was done on the effects of second-hand smoke three years after Starkville and Hattiesburg took the plunge.

"In Starkville, the heart attack rates for non-smokers dropped 28%, it dropped 13.% in Hattiesburg. That equals $288,000 in Starkville and $2.4 million in Hattiesburg just taking care of those folks. They were non-smokers," Dr. Demetropoulos says.

We asked if the Association was getting any push-back from the restaurant association or any other group.

"Yeah. There's concern there, but when we poll their membership, the majority of their membership favors smoke-free work places," he says.

A hearing was to take place Thursday afternoon, in which the bill was to be discussed. 

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