[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 44 (Monday, March 7, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-5107]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 7, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Public Health Service
 

Smoke-Free Workplace
AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health HHSD.

ACTION: Notice.
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    Tobacco smoking has long been recognized as a major cause of death 
and disease. The Surgeon General has concluded that tobacco use causes 
cancer and is an important risk factor for heart disease. Tobacco 
smoking is estimated to be responsible for in excess of 400,000 deaths 
per year in the United States
    Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke--commonly known as second-
hand smoke--also poses a serious health risk. The Government has 
concluded that exposure to environmental tobacco smoke is responsibile 
for approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths each year in nonsmoking 
adults and impairs the respiratory health of hundreds of thousands of 
children and adults.
    A report issued by the Surgeon General in 1988 states that 
nicotine, the active drug in tobacco, is a toxic and addictive 
substance. Environmental tobacco smoke is potentially toxic to those 
persons who are exposed to it. In view of these facts, the Department 
of Health and Human Services has implemented a smoke-free workplace 
policy for all of its employees.
    It is the mission of the Public Health Service to protect and 
advance the physical and mental health of the American people. PHS 
fulfills this mission in part by acting to prevent and control the 
abuse of dangerous and addictive substances (alcohol and drugs) and by 
coordinating with States, local governments and other Federal agencies 
to protect the public from exposure to toxic substances. PHS also 
provides national leadership for the prevention and control of 
environmentally related health problems. Therefore, while PHS 
recognizes that many organizations are already providing a smoke-free 
environment, PHS believes that it is crucially important to the health 
of the nation to widen the smoke-free workplace practice.
    It is the policy of PHS to strongly encourage all recipients of PHS 
grants to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of 
tobacco products. It is also the policy of PHS to encourage those 
recipients which already have a smoke-free workplace and promote the 
non-use of tobacco products to continue such practices.
    Consistent with the usage in HHS General Administration Manual 
Chapter 1-60, dated August 25, 1987, and a memorandum from the 
Assistant Secretary for Health, dated February 17, 1988, PHS defines 
the term ``smoke-free workplace'' to mean office space (including 
private offices and other work space), laboratory space, patient 
clinical areas, conference or meeting rooms, corridors, stairways, 
lobbies, rest rooms, cafeterias, and other public space.
    In order to assess the extent to which organizations are already 
providing a smoke-free environment, the Public Health Service is 
interested in ascertaining the extent to which PHS grantee 
organizations currently provide a smoke-free workplace. New and 
competing continuation grant applications will be modified to request 
information on whether or not applicant organizations currently provide 
a smoke-free workplace and/or promote the non-use of tobacco products.

    Dated: February 8, 1994.
Philip R. Lee, M.D.,
Assistant Secretary for Health.
[FR Doc. 94-5107 Filed 3-4-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-17-M