Blog by Steve Love

We frequently read articles examining why the healthcare cost in some cities is higher than others. Healthcare delivery is complex no matter the locale and there are many factors. Some components are brutally simple, with one specific “public health focus” potentially saving millions of dollars in North Texas healthcare costs.

Many of our cities (Irving, Richardson, Fort Worth, Denton and Addison) have not enacted a comprehensive “smoke free” ordinance in all public places. This is disturbing, especially when you compare similar ordinances in other regions. Just last month, New Orleans enacted a complete smoke-free ordinance. Now here is a city, nicknamed “The Big Easy,” internationally known for its tourism, festivals, restaurants and drinking establishments. If they can enact this ordinance on Bourbon Street, we should easily be able to do so in every North Texas city.

Last night in a 6-3 vote, the Irving City Council claimed the city was “close enough” to smoke-free ordinances, grandfathering in existing establishments with ventilation systems. But is this really protecting the public? Remember that thought next time a pharmacist fills your prescription and says, “It’s close enough.” We would be outraged.

A white paper by The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) states, “The only means of effectively eliminating health risk associated with indoor exposure is to ban smoking activity.” This conclusion applies to cigarettes, cigars, E-cigarettes and marijuana. Simply put, a healthy environment can only be achieved by a completely smoke-free environment. Ventilation exhaust systems do not remove the many toxic agents in second-hand smoke. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates more than 41,000 Americans die annually from exposure to second-hand smoke. This is a considerable health threat to North Texas restaurant and bar employees with no choice but to work within such dangerous environments.

Allowing smoking in public places and exposing others to a known health risk needs to be stopped. North Texas hospitals understand the concerns regarding costs and are working conscientiously towards moving from volume to value-based healthcare. We all have a responsibility regarding healthcare costs and this is one indisputably simple solution to move the needle towards continued improvement. Let’s make all of North Texas’ public places “smoke free” and improve the health of every citizen young and old alike.