The Health Foundation of Central Mass

67 W hen Dr. Jan Yost, founding president and CEO of e Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts lived in South Carolina, she served in several capacities in academia, local politics, and health care. Passionate about health, she led a statewide effort to eliminate smoking in hospitals across the state. Her efforts paid off when South Car- olina passed the Clean Air Act of 1990, ef- fectively banning smoking in public places such as hospitals, businesses and restau- rants, and outdoor spaces including parks, stadiums, parades and amphitheaters. In her role leading e Health Founda- tion, Dr. Yost continued her efforts to pass legislation banning smoking. In 2003, she joined other health organizations, indi- viduals, and the Coalition for a Healthy Future in advocating for passage of a law that would create smoke-free workplaces. Some business owners fought the ban, fearing a loss of customers to other places that did not enforce a ban. But studies had shown no impact or a positive impact on restaurants and bars that prohibit- ed smoking. Findings from health experts, including the World Health Organization and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agen- cy, demonstrated that exposure to secondhand smoke causes the same serious illnesses as active smoking: cancer, emphysema, heart attacks and stroke. Second- hand smoke was deemed tanta- mount to asbestos and classified as a Class A carcinogen. e Health Foundation's efforts included raising public awareness about the health consequences of secondhand smoke through coverage in the media, including letters to the editor and op-eds. In May 2003, Dr. Yost joined with over 30 local advocates in a rally at Worcester City Hall, followed by a public hearing at the State House urging legislators to support the passage of a bill to make all workplaces in Massachusetts 100% smoke-free. On June 18, 2004, then-Governor Mitt Romney signed the Massachusetts Smoke-Free Workplace Law, banning smoking in enclosed workplaces, public places, and businesses where the public enters the premises. e ban became effective on July 5, 2004. e Health Foundation, together with other nonprofit organizations, had suc- ceeded in passing a law that would protect the health of all Massachusetts citizens. n Smoke-Free Workplaces: Breathing Fresh Air Senator Harriette Chandler, 2003

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