Maryland joins 17 other States and more than 250 local communities with similar smoke-free laws. The smoking ban will go into effect in February 2008.

Jeff Hoffman, Ph.D., President and CEO of Danya International, Inc. (Danya), a health communications, research, and technology firm delivering breakthrough solutions for public health and education, testified before the Maryland State Legislature to urge its support for the legislation.

“As a Maryland-based business owner, resident with a family, and advocate for smoke-free policies, it’s important to me to help make our State a healthier place to live and work,” said Hoffman. “Smoke-free bills had failed to pass during the past four consecutive sessions, but with Governor Martin O’Malley pledging his support to sign the legislation and newly elected members in the assembly, the outlook for enacting the bill was very promising.”

According to the Smoke Free Maryland Coalition, secondhand tobacco smoke exposure is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States, claiming the lives of approximately 1,000 Marylanders each year and racking up more than $590 million in childhood and adult health care costs in the State annually. Studies conducted on the economic impact of indoor smoking bans have shown universally that smoke-free policies have not financially harmed businesses.

“I am hopeful that the smoke-free legislation will help reduce the toxic toll that secondhand smoke has on our individual and the State’s economic health,” said Hoffman. “I congratulate our elected officials for demonstrating that Maryland is committed to protecting the health of its workers, citizens, and visitors.”

Hoffman and Danya have played key roles in supporting smoke-free education and advocacy efforts in Maryland and across the country. The company actively supported smoke-free-air legislation in Baltimore by sending letters to the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association, providing testimony before the Baltimore City Council, speaking at press conferences and rallies, and joining other dedicated organizations and businesses in sponsoring a smoke-free-air advertising campaign.

In addition, for tobacco prevention and control professionals, voluntary health organizations, private entities, and the public, Danya developed a Web-based Tobacco Knowledge Management System, www.kNOwtobacco.net, to connect individuals, information, and ideas for tobacco control. Danya is also organizing the 2007 National Conference on Tobacco or Health, to be held October 24–26, 2007, in Minneapolis. The goal of the conference is to help improve and sustain the effectiveness and reach of U.S. tobacco control programs and activities focused on prevention, cessation, and research. Online registration is available at www.tobaccocontrolconference.com.

To help smokers conquer their nicotine addiction, Danya has created several tobacco prevention and intervention initiatives, including the Adolescent Smoking Cessation Escaping Nicotine and Tobacco (ASCENT) program to help teens ages 14 to 18 stop smoking. Danya also offers two online resources, www.teenquit.com for teens and Dr. Jeff’s Quit Commit Program for Smoking Cessation at www.quitcommit.com for adults. ASCENT and the Web sites provide research-based, age-appropriate interactive tools and quit-smoking plans.

For more information about Maryland’s Clean Indoor Air Act of 2007, visit www.smokefreemd.org.