Tips for Letter Writing
Adapted from Americans' for Nonsmokers Rights “Tips for Writing Letters”
- Keep it short (no more than 1 page). Note: newspapers usually have word count limits on letters to the editor. Call ahead for guidelines before writing.
- Stick to one main point, and support your position with facts.
- Write about your personal experience. Explain why you care about protecting all workers from secondhand smoke.
- Be polite.
The following are some ideas to help you get started:
Explain why you are writing:
Example : “I am writing to encourage the city council to take action to eliminate secondhand smoke in public places and workplaces.”
Explain the problem (this is the place to cite facts):
Example : “Secondhand smoke is a serious problem. At least 35,000 nonsmokers die every year from heart disease caused by exposure to secondhand smoke. 1 The recent Surgeon General's report indicated there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke and that exposure of adults to secondhand smoke has immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. 2 ”
Share how you have been personally affected by secondhand smoke:
Example : “I have been waiting tables for five years. Despite my good health, I developed chronic asthma because of my daily exposure to secondhand smoke. I cannot even walk up a complete flight of stairs without getting out of breath. All workers deserve the right to a safe, 100% smoke-free workplace.”
Explain specifically what you are asking for:
Example : “I hope that the city council will pass an ordinance requiring that all public places and workplaces to be 100% smoke-free.”
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Annual Smoking Attributable Mortality, Years of Potential Life Lost, and Productivity Losses—United States 19972001.” MMWR. 2005; 54: 625628
2 US Department of Health and Human Services. The health consequences of involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke: a report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2006.
