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The City of Sunny Isles Beach is committed to protecting the public health and welfare of its citizens. As scientific studies have shown, secondhand smoke causes approximately 7,330 deaths from lung cancer and 33,950 deaths from heart disease each year. According to the American Lung Association, there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke and even short-term exposure can potentially increase the risk of heart attacks. Secondhand smoke contains hundreds of chemicals known to be toxic or carcinogenic, including formaldehyde, benzene, vinyl chloride, arsenic ammonia and hydrogen cyanide. It’s also especially harmful to young children, and is responsible for between 150,000 and 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections in infants and children under 18 months of age, resulting in between 7,500 and 15,000 hospitalizations each year.
The Florida Clean Indoor Air Act prohibits smoking in most public and private businesses, including restaurants. However, it does not include outdoor eating areas. Unfortunately, the State of Florida preempted the regulation of smoking to the state, and provided that it supersedes any municipal ordinance on the subject. While the city cannot regulate smoking in outdoor restaurants, it believes that non-smokers and employees working at restaurants should be able to breathe smoke-free air. Separating smokers is not enough to eliminate exposure. 100% smoke-free policies are the only effective way to eliminate secondhand smoke exposure. We encourage our local Sunny Isles Beach restaurants and business owners to take steps to discourage or eliminate smoking in outdoor dining areas.
For business resources, including window clings, fact sheets and information about quitting smoking, visit tobaccofreeflorida.com.
