Vancouver, WA – December 8 is the 10th anniversary of Washington’s Smoking in Public Places Law (SIPP), which amended the state’s 1985 Clean Indoor Act to require all indoor workplaces and public places be smoke-free. The law includes restaurants, bars and non-tribal casinos. In Washington and Clark County, smoking rates and exposure to secondhand smoke have decreased significantly over the past 10 years. “Indoor air is cleaner. This law protects health by reducing exposure to harmful secondhand smoke in places that previously allowed smoking,” said Theresa Cross, health educator. “A big policy change like SIPP also helps lower smoking rates by making smoking less convenient and less likely to be copied by others, especially youth.” In the initial five years following SIPP, adult smoking rates across Washington fell from 17.5 percent in 2005 to 15 percent in 2010. Clark County rates have generally mirrored state rates. In Clark County: • The current adult smoking rate is 17.3 percent. • Adult smoking prevalence decreased between 2003 and 2010, when it dropped from 21.4 percent to 17.1 percent. Due to a change in how the adult smoking rate is calculated as of 2011, current rates cannot be compared with those calculated before 2011. However, after the change, the data continue to trend down. • The current 10th grade smoking rate is 10.2 percent compared with 13.9 percent in 2006. • Rates of major diseases and conditions related to smoking and secondhand smoke exposure are down: o Lung cancer diagnoses are down 11 percent; deaths from lung cancer are down 23 percent. o Deaths from emphysema are down 67 percent. o Heart disease hospitalizations are down 14 percent; deaths from heart disease are down 23 percent. Despite local and statewide progress reducing cigarette smoking rates, more work needs to be done. • Cigarette smoking accounts for nearly one in five deaths in the state each year when accounting for secondhand smoke. • About 8,000 adults will die each year from smoking. • About 104,000 Washington residents younger than 18 will ultimately die prematurely from smoking. Clark County Public Health works to reduce smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke by providing education and resources for quitting; working with landlords to enact smokefree housing policies; and educating local businesses about the requirements of the SIPP law to ensure the public and employees are protected and tobacco products are not sold to minors. In 2015, Clark County extended the SIPP law to include electronic inhalant delivery devices. In 2014, 20.9 percent of Clark County 10th graders used these devices, exceeding the current rate of tobacco use. With SIPP, Washington became the 10th state to implement a comprehensive smoke-free indoor air law. Today, 24 states have similar laws.