We still need your help to protect California’s strong smokefree indoor air laws!

Dear Smokefree Air Supporter,

On August 28, AB 1775 passed the full Senate after being amended to include language that the bill sponsor claims will address worker health concerns, by adding language promoting ventilation systems. This amendment does not help address worker health concerns because ventilation systems are not an effective solution for protecting health from secondhand smoke exposure. The bill is now at the Governor’s Desk.

Will you take a few minutes to ask Governor Newsom to VETO AB1775 in order to not roll back our effective smokefree workplace protections? He has the power to ensure that all California workers have a safe, healthy workplace.

1. Visit www.gov.ca.gov/contact/ to send your quick email.

2. Under "Topic" select An Active Bill, then under "What Specific Bill?" select AB 1775.

Use These Sample talking points and/or see a sample letter here.

• Please VETO AB1775 to maintain California’s smokefree workplace laws.
• We should not roll back protections to allow marijuana smoking inside cafes, restaurants, theaters, and other hospitality venues that are currently required to be smokefree.
• The Senate amendments do not help address worker health concerns because ventilation systems are not a solution for protecting health from secondhand smoke exposure.
• No amount of ventilation or filtering can eliminate the health risks of secondhand smoke either from tobacco or cannabis.
• The only known way to reduce the risks associated with secondhand smoke is with a 100% smokefree environment. This is affirmed by all leading health agencies, including the Office of the Surgeon General.
• Getting a job at a cannabis retailer or hospitality venue should not mean giving up the smokefree workplace protections that benefit nearly all other employees in California.
• This issue shouldn't only be about creating new jobs - it also needs to be about ensuring that people who work at these new jobs have the right to a healthy, safe, smokefree workplace - just like every other worker in California.
• California workers should not have to sacrifice their health for a paycheck.

Background and more information:

Last year, Governor recognized the importance of not rolling back California’s effective protections for smokefree workplaces when he vetoed a very similar bill, Assembly Bill 374. He got to the heart of the matter in his veto message: “I am concerned this bill could undermine California's long-standing smoke-free workplace protections. Protecting the health and safety of workers is paramount." We again urge the Governor to veto AB1775, which is the marijuana industry’s renewed attempt to put their profits ahead of worker health.

Assembly Bill 1775 would allow cannabis/marijuana retailers to sell food and non-alcoholic beverages, and sell tickets to performances, including concerts. In practice, this bill could create restaurants and entertainment venues that allow indoor smoking and vaping of cannabis. This bill would be a significant roll back of smokefree workplace protections that California has provided to hospitality workers and patrons for the last 26 years.

Cannabis industry proponents of AB1775 are taking a page right out of the tobacco industry’s playbook. They make outrageous claims that indoor smoking and vaping is needed for businesses to grow and thrive, while ignoring the very serious threat of rolling back longstanding worker health protections.

The California Nightlife Association and California NORML are industry supporters of this bill, saying "[cannabis] businesses must expand to survive. Selling food, drinks, and an experience is a way to help them expand and survive,” while the United Food and Commercial Workers Union wrote in support, "Giving this industry the chance to grow will create jobs and help cities and communities thrive."

In reality, cities and communities cannot truly thrive when they choose to risk the health of the health of workers in these new jobs. As always, the industry is putting their profits ahead of people. California must consider the consequences of promoting cannabis industry business interests over the imperative to maintain public health protections.

Many thanks for your support and commitment to protect nonsmokers’ rights to breathe smokefree indoor air. Californians need to continue speaking up to reject AB1775 and demanding that the legislature not roll back our effective protections for smokefree workplaces.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Your contribution today will allow ANR to continue to monitor the overlap of secondhand tobacco smoke and marijuana and watch for local laws and state bills that would weaken smokefree air protections by creating exemptions to expand where marijuana can be smoked and vaped indoors.

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