| For Immediate Release October 25, 2006 |
Contact: Jennifer Friedman 202.296.5469 |
Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund Launches Campaign in Support of Harold Janeway and Betsi DeVries For New Hampshire State Senate
Washington, DC - The Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund today launched an independent, direct mail and voter contact campaign in support of New Hampshire State Senate candidates Harold Janeway (District 7) and Betsi DeVries (District 18) because of their commitment to reducing tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke. The campaign will contrast the positions of Janeway and his opponent, incumbent Senator Robert Flanders, and DeVries and her opponent, incumbent Senator Andre Martel. Both Janeway and DeVries strongly support a statewide smoke-free workplace law that would protect all New Hampshire workers and families from secondhand smoke. Both incumbent candidates voted against a smoke-free New Hampshire.
"We're running this campaign in New Hampshire because of the clear contrast between the records of these candidates when it comes to fighting tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke," said William V. Corr, Executive Director of the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund. "Harold Janeway and Betsi DeVries are standing up to Big Tobacco and fighting to protect everyone's right to breathe clean, smoke-free air. Their opponents, on the other hand, have blocked efforts to make New Hampshire smoke-free and have taken campaign contributions from Big Tobacco. For New Hampshire voters who care about protecting the health of workers and families, there is a clear choice: Harold Janeway and Betsi DeVries for New Hampshire State Senate."
Legislation in New Hampshire that would make all workplaces smoke-free died in the State Senate last year by a one vote margin. Flanders and Martel were two of the 12 no votes. Janeway has pledged to support a statewide smoke-free bill and DeVries voted for the statewide smoke-free law as a Representative when the New Hampshire House passed it and has publicly voiced her continued support of the measure.
The need for protection from secondhand smoke has never been clearer. In issuing his groundbreaking report on secondhand smoke on June 27, U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona stated, "The debate is over. The science is clear: Secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance, but a serious health hazard that causes premature death and disease in children and nonsmoking adults." The Surgeon General found that secondhand smoke is a proven cause of lung cancer, heart disease, serious respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis and asthma, low birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome. The Surgeon General also found that secondhand smoke is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths in the United States each year and that there is no risk-free level of exposure.
The Surgeon General's report also confirmed that smoke-free laws protect health without harming business. To date, 14 states, Washington, DC and Puerto Rico have passed smoke-free laws that include restaurants and bars. The states are: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii (effective Nov. 16), Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont and Washington (the Montana and Utah laws extend to bars in 2009, while the DC law does so on January 1, 2007).
Samples of the direct mail can be found at:
District 7:
Direct Mail: Live Free and Die
Direct Mail: Tobacco Industry Contributions
District 18:
Direct Mail: Live Free and Die
Direct Mail: Tobacco Industry Contributions