GROSSE POINTE FARMS – On Monday, State Representative Tim Bledsoe (D-Grosse Pointe) and the Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce recognized five smoke-free businesses in the Grosse Pointes as part of a districtwide effort encouraging businesses to become smoke free.
"I want to thank all of these businesses for their vision and foresight in being smoke free," Bledsoe said. "I will continue to fight aggressively to ban this known carcinogen from all public venues in Michigan. Michigan citizens, and workers in restaurants, bars, and casinos, are entitled to safe, smoke-free workplaces."
Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce Board Chairman Ed Russell joined Bledsoe in recognizing the owners of Jumps Restaurant and Dirty Dog Jazz Café in Grosse Pointe Farms; City Kitchen and Burger Pointe in Grosse Pointe City; and Big Boy in Grosse Pointe Woods. The Chamber has been working with a variety of groups in the Grosse Pointes to encourage local businesses to ban smoking in their establishments and all smoke-free restaurants will be receiving certificates recognizing their smoke-free status.
"The Chamber Board of Directors has approved a public policy to encourage a healthy lifestyle and has supported that policy by creating a Live Well Committee," Russell said. "Recognizing these businesses is vital to the Committee's mission."
According to the American Lung Association, secondhand smoke causes approximately
3,400 lung cancer deaths and up to 69,600 heart disease deaths in adult non-smokers in the United States each year.
According to others, for every eight deaths attributed to cigarette smoking in the United States, a ninth death is added
that is attributable to inhaling secondhand smoke.