This week, legislation was introduced that would create an exemption to the Clean Indoor Air Act and expand the number of businesses that allow smoking. House Bill 766 is the product of a workgroup established in 2024--without public health organization representation—to discuss whether the state should amend 18 years of precedent by issuing alcoholic beverage licenses to certain tobacco retailers and exempting these workplaces from the smoke-free law.
In response, Lance Kilpatrick, government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) in Maryland, issued the following statement:
“We should call House Bill 766 what it really is: an attempt to undo nearly two decades of public health progress at the urging of the tobacco industry. For almost 18 years, the Clean Indoor Air Act has protected workers, patrons and businesses across Maryland. Its passage was hard-fought with dire warnings from opponents who claimed smoke-free policies would hurt business. History proved them wrong. What is truly pro-business is protecting workers and neighboring establishments from deadly secondhand smoke, exposure to which ventilation systems simply cannot eliminate.
“We have many Marylanders who have never known what it means or what it feels like to sit in a cloud of smoke in their workplace, their favorite restaurant or their local shop, thanks to the Clean Indoor Air Act. With House Bill 766, we risk bursting that innocence by reintroducing toxic exposure into everyday life and sending a troubling signal to younger residents deciding whether Maryland is a state that values their health and future.
“The cancer community understands, better than most, the risk this legislation poses and asks the General Assembly members to reject it outright for the sake of the fight against cancer.”
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About ACS CAN
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) advocates for evidence-based public policies to reduce the cancer burden for everyone. We engage our volunteers across the country to make their voices heard by policymakers at every level of government. We believe everyone should have a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. Since 2001, as the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN has successfully advocated for billions of dollars in cancer research funding, expanded access to quality affordable health care, and advanced proven tobacco control measures. We stand with our volunteers, working to make cancer a top priority for policymakers in cities, states and our nation’s capital. Join the fight by visiting www.fightcancer.org.