Workers in Canada's north will not be smoking indoors as of May 1st. That's the date the Environmental Tobacco Smoke Worksite Regulations come into effect and ban smoking in the workplace.

The regulations, made under the Safety Acts and the Mine Health and Safety Acts, will prohibit environmental tobacco smoke (second hand smoke) in all enclosed work sites. One of the few exceptions is made for miners who cannot make it to the earth's surface during their shift.

Health Canada estimates that each year approximately 350 lung cancer and 2,000 heart disease deaths are caused by second hand smoke. This statistic is echoed by Physicians for a Smoke-free Canada, which estimates the annual deaths in Canada linked to exposure to second hand smoke to be 3,000, and the Lung Association which attributes about 300 lung cancer deaths a year to second hand smoke.

The fact that there is no known safe level of exposure to the carcinogens in cigarette smoke means that the only solution that would completely eliminate the risk of second hand smoke in the workplace to all persons, smokers as well as non-smokers, is one that restricts smoking completely to the outdoors.

The evidence against second hand smoking continues to mount. Now, as the Workers' Compensation Boards are showing, the science can be used to effectively protect the health of non-smoking workers.

You may read the news release.