While smokers face a higher risk of developing lung cancer, nonsmokers are at risk as well, especially if exposed to secondhand smoke. Exposure to secondhand smoke claims the lives of nearly 50,000 nonsmoking adults each year, most notably from lung cancer, stroke, and heart disease. Due to the severe health consequences related to secondhand smoke, smoking bans are important. According to the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation, 28 states – as well as Puerto Rico, District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands – are “smoke-free states,” meaning they do not allow smoking in bars, restaurants, and non-hospitality workplaces. Texas does not currently have a statewide smoking ban, but many cities throughout the state have smoking bans in place.
Sources: American Cancer Society, American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Texas Department of State Health Services
