Rapp Votes Against Smoking Ban
That Would Have Saved Lives

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For Immediate Release
April 5, 2007
Contact: (757) 345-5300
info@troyfarlow.com

Troy Farlow stands on the side of businesses, disagrees with smoking ban defeat and Rapp’s vote
One day after the smoking ban was rejected by the House of Delegates, Troy Farlow, candidate for the House of Delegates in the 96th District, released this statement:
“Although I am not a smoker myself, I respect the rights of individuals who choose to smoke. I believe that freedom of choice is the bedrock of this country until your choice infringes on the health and well-beings of others. With that being said, I stand with Senator John Warner, Governor Kaine, and the bipartisan group of legislators in Richmond who voted to ban smoking in bars and restaurants. Unfortunately, however, the bill did not pass. I'm running for the House of Delegates because we need new leadership that will stand with the working people in our Commonwealth, and not the special interests that kept this bill from becoming law. This bill has a deep impact on the cost of healthcare for our community, and as the spouse of an oncologist, I know the devastating costs of secondhand smoke that now exists. We need to do better by people who work in our taverns and restaurants, and this bill would have done just that.”

FACT: Over 1,000 Virginians die of secondhand smoke per year (over 65,000 total in the U.S. die annually from secondhand smoke)

FACT: Secondhand smoke contains 70 cancer-causing chemicals.

FACT: The EPA has classified secondhand smoke as a carcinogen (a cancer causing agent).

FACT: Secondhand smoke causes 150,000 to 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections in children under 18 months and causes one million asthma attacks in children per year.

FACT: The Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) levels in restaurants and bars is two to five times higher than in the homes of smokers.

FACT: Smoking has been prohibited in restaurants in the following states: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont and Washington.

FACT: Republicans who represent the area voted for the ban (Delegate Phil Hamilton)

(Note: Facts derived from The Medical Society of Virginia and American Lung Association Secondhand Smoke Fact Sheets.)

Delegate Rapp’s vote against the ban is a vote against the health of our community, it's workers, constituents and their children.

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