The Mesquite Citizens for Clean Indoor Air Coalition will host a Community Roundtable Discussion to present personal stories describing the implications of exposure to secondhand smoke in the workplace on Thursday, Feb. 25, at 5 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express across from WalMart, 1030 Pioneer Blvd.

The event will feature a panel discussion with casino and bar workers, a business owner, and area health care provider, and will be followed by questions and answers. It is free and open to the public.

“The U.S. Surgeon General has declared there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke,” said Chris Picior, coalition representative. “It is well understood that even the most expensive air filtration systems do not protect workers inside buildings where smoking occurs, leaving one third of Mesquite workers at risk for serious, even fatal illnesses.” Second hand smoke exposure causes many illnesses, including heart disease, respiratory illness, and cancers of almost every organ. Short term exposure for as little as 30 minutes has been linked to heart attacks in numerous studies throughout the world.

The purpose of the event, Picior said, is to provide a public forum where this critical public health issue can be understood and discussed by Mesquite residents. Attendees will have the opportunity to listen to casino and bar workers who have worked in smoke filled environments, a local business owner who has worked in the casino industry and advocated for smoke-free gaming, and a health care professional who daily deals with patients who have smoking-caused illnesses.

For more information, call Christine Picior (435) 229-9964.

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