Westchester Celebrates 10 Years of Indoor Smoking Ban

Ten years ago, Westchester bars and restaurants could legally be filled with cancerous second-hand smoke. Non-smokers would also be subjected to harmful second-hand smoke while at all work all day.

Then New York decided in July 2003 that it had to change and became the second state in the country, after Delaware, to pass legislation that bans smoking in restaurants, bars and in the workplace. 

“The tenth anniversary of the Clean Indoor Air Act is a success story that has saved countless lives and improved the public health of our nation in ways that are unimaginable and unquantifiable,” said Williams, chair of the Westchester County Board of Legislators’ Community Services Committee, in a press release.

Since, Westchester County was one step ahead of the state and passed similar legislation in March 2003—Williams, who covers Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown, Elmsford, Greenburgh, recently accepted a plaque from POW’R Against Tobacco advocacy group for the county’s efforts to protect its resident against second hand smoke over the last decade.

“Educating the public on the dangers of second-hand smoke and getting this legislation passed were important steps, but too many young people are still getting hooked on cigarettes,” said Williams. “We need to work together and continue to protect the health of our residents.”

Westchester legislators MaryJane Shimsky (D-Hastings-on-Hudson) and Catherine Borgia (D-Ossining) also attended the event last week in front of Black Bear Saloon in White Plains where Open Door of Westchester was also recognized.

“The costs—health-wise and financially—to all of us from the effects of second-hand smoke are too much to ignore,” continued Williams. “And we shouldn’t make it easy for our under age kids to get cigarettes and start smoking. We should make it harder.”