Cathy May - Contributing Writer

The Ripley County Tobacco and Cessation Coalition will provide free carbon monoxide testing in the main hall of the Ripley County Courthouse from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 16. This takes only a few seconds. It will show the level of carbon monoxide in your body whether you are a smoker or not. Cold turkey sandwiches will also be served.

Indiana ranks #2 out of 50 states in the number of smokers, 27.3% in 2005. This fact alone carries an incalculable cost in terms of human suffering. The financial costs also are enormous for the state’s businesses and taxpayers. Indiana’s rate of young adults ages 18-24 who smoke has increased to 39% in 2005.

Because of the number of smokers in Indiana, Philip Morris decided to use Central Indiana as a test market for its new smokeless and spitless tobacco product, Taboka. It’s designed for smokers who are not allowed to smoke at work.

Hoosiers spend $1.9 million a year on health problems stemming from smoking. More than 18,000 infants born to smoking mothers cost more than $20 million to treat. In Indiana 18.5% of pregnant women smoke.

Nictoine levels in cigarettes have increased about 10% in the past six years. Especially large increases were found in Marlboros, a brand preferred by nearly two-thirds of teenage smokers. Tobacco related diseases account for more deaths in Indiana than any other cause, more than 9,700.

Funding for Indiana’s tobacco prevention and cessation program was cut by almost 70% in 2003 to $10.8 million while the tobacco companies have increased the amount of marketing dollars they spend in Indiana to a record $475 million.

In spite of the 2003 fiscal cuts, Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation - the state’s tobacco control agency - is aggressively continuing with its programs. The number of Hoosiers protected from secondhand smoke-free air laws increased from 3% in 2000 to 33% today.

There are some things you can do to make a difference.

* You can frequent restaurants that are smoke free.Ripley County restaurants that are smoke free include: Arby’s, Batesville; B&G Dairy Bar, Sunman; Becky’s Best, Batesville; Dairy Queen, Milan; Di Giovannia’s Coffee House, Osgood; Ernie’s Pizza, Versailles; Ertel Cellars Winery, Batesville; LaRosa’s, Batesville; Lil' Charlies, Batesville; McDonalds, Versailles; Mel’s Serving Spoon; Milan Railroad Inn Restaurant, Milan; Momma Milano’s, Milan; Napoleon Tavern; Pizza Factory, Batesville; Pizza Haus, Batesville; Reservation Restaurant, Milan; Snikkers and Peanuts, Batesville; Subway, Verailles; Tiers and Cheers, Sunman.

There are 33 restaurants in Ripley County that are not smoke free.

* You can improve your own environment by not allowing smoking in your own home. People will understand. You have the right to keep your own home smoke free. That goes for your car, too.
* If you work in a business that is smoke-filled, ask for your environment to be smoke-free. Give your employer the following information:

– Employees who work in smoke filled businesses suffer a 25-50% higher risk of heart attack and higher rates of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer, as well as increased acute respiratory disease and measurable decrease in lung function.

– Smoke-filled workplaces result in higher work absenteeism due to respiratory disease, lower productivity, higher cleaning and maintenance costs, increased health insurance rates, and increased liability claims for diseases related to second-hand smoke.

– Creation of a smoke-free workplace is sound economic policy and provides the maximum level of employee health and safety. Smoking is a potential cause for fire: cigarette and cigar burns and stains on merchandise and fixtures causes economic damage.

• You can write your legislator. Indiana needs to change its reputation as a smoking state. Governor Mitch Daniels asked for an increase in the tax on a pack of cigarettes, from 55.5-cents to 80-cents per pack in 2006. He is going to try again in 2007. Indiana’s 55.5-cents per pack cigarette duty is 37th out of 50 states. Ohio’s is $1.25, Illinois, 98-cents; Michigan tacks on $2 and Kentucky is the #1 state in the union for smokers with the tax being 30-cents.

“What we are laying the groundwork for is a major offensive to improve the health of Hoosiers, and it goes well beyond cigarette smokers,” Daniels said. “But there is no credible approach to a healthier Indiana that doesn’t include changing our status as the second highest smoking rate state in America.” The governor said extra revenue from a higher tax should be dedicated to health programs, including those aimed at smoking cessation and prevention.

Every 10% increase in cigarette tax deters about 7% of teenagers and 4% of adults from smoking. Not only would this deter people from smoking, the money raised would go to much needed educational programs in our schools and to help those who want to stop smoking.

We can all help by writing our legislators and letting them know we support this increase. A short note or a letter less than one page is best. Here are the addresses of our state representatives:
• State Senator Johnny Nugent, 920 Pribble Court, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025.
• State Representative Cleo Duncan, 1205 E. Tara Road, Greensburg, IN 47240.
• State Representative Bill Bischoff, 1137 Carroll, Greendale, IN 47020.
• State Representative Billy Bright, 815 E. County Road 55 South, North Vernon, IN 47265.

Locally, Ripley County has a Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Coalition. It has been meeting for several years. It’s current focus is to educate and help organizations and businesses to create smoke-free environments for its employees. Members are: Bill Warren, Saralee Cumberworth, Linda Simers, Traci Bauman, Vicky Powell, LouAnn Menchhofer, Kathy Newell, and Cathy May. If you are interested in finding out how your business could go smoke free, contact Cathy May at 689-7356.
(Data from the 2005 Indiana Behavior Risk Study Survey, Department of Public Health, Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation, Center for Disease Control.)