Support a Comprehensive Smoke-Free South Fulton

I know firsthand that long-term smoking and secondhand smoke kills.

My maternal grandfather became addicted to nicotine at an early age and died at 62 years old from lung cancer. As a City of South Fulton resident and parent of two sons, I believe it is time to strengthen the current ordinance to support a smoke-free city. The measure will make all workplaces, restaurants, and bars smoke-free to protect residents, workers, and visitors from the proven significant dangers of secondhand smoke.

Exposure to secondhand smoke is a public health and social justice issue. The fact is certain communities and populations in the City of South Fulton are more severely affected by secondhand smoke exposure than others, and many of those individuals are more likely to suffer from health disparities and less likely to be able to access health care. Secondhand smoke causes nearly 41,000 early deaths from coronary heart disease each year in the United States among nonsmokers. Twenty-eight percent of residents living in Fulton County report they are exposed in public places and 14% in their workplaces.

Here are additional reasons why making the City of South Fulton 100% smoke-free is so important:

• Smoking is still allowed in many City of South Fulton workplaces, restaurants and bars.
• Breathing secondhand smoke can have immediate adverse effects on your blood and blood vessels, increasing the risk of having a heart attack.
• Most employees that work in establishments which allow smoking, don’t often have a choice.
• Smoke-free ordinances do not harm business.

Other destination southern cities are 100% smoke-free including: Atlanta, Savannah, and New Orleans. I am appreciative of Councilmember Gumbs, Councilmember Rowell, and Councilmember Reeves for championing this effort and urge all council members to support. In a time when protection of health is of utmost importance, strengthening smoke-free makes sense. Text COSF to 46839 to join me in urging council to make all workplaces, restaurants, and bars smoke-free in the City of South Fulton!

Sojourner Marable Grimmett is a wife, mother, and  South Fulton community advocate.