Tobacco-Free Communities

Passage of the Clean Indoor Air Act in 2008 was a first step in reducing the public’s exposure to secondhand smoke at workplaces in Pennsylvania.  The Pennsylvania Alliance to Control Tobacco (PACT), provides information and tools to all businesses affected by the Clean Indoor Air Act.  Today, communities and housing boards across the state are adopting local policies to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke and its effects on their citizens, especially children. 

What are the risks of smoking to public health?

• Exposure to secondhand smoke has been estimated to cause at least 38,000 deaths annually in the United States and more than one million illnesses in children (National Cancer Institute).
• Children exposed to secondhand smoke are inhaling many of the same cancer-causing substances as smokers.
• Every year in Pennsylvania, nearly 9,200 children under the age of 18 become new daily smokers (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids).

Learn more about tobacco-free communities:

Tobacco Free Youth
Tobacco Free Events