Title
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 50 PARKS AND RECREATION, ARTICLE II OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES AND ADD 50-26 ENTITLED "SMOKING AND USE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS" WHICH SHALL PROHIBIT SMOKING AND TOBACCO USE IN ALL CITY PARKS, FACILITIES, AND TRAILS
Body
BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council for the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas that:
WHEREAS, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”), each year approximately 480,000 people die of diseases caused by smoking, accounting for one out of every five deaths in the United States, and that the use of cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, cigars, pipes, and other tobacco products leads to disease and death; and
WHEREAS, studies by the Surgeon General of the United States, by the National Academy of Sciences, and by other health organizations have linked passive exposure to tobacco smoke (second-hand smoke) to a variety of negative health conditions in non-smokers; and
WHEREAS, health hazards induced by breathing second-hand smoke include lung cancer, respiratory infection, decreased exercise tolerance, decreased respiratory function, bronchoconstriction, and bronchospasm; and
WHEREAS, non-smokers who suffer allergies, respiratory diseases, and other ill effects of breathing second-hand smoke may experience a loss of job productivity and may be forced to take periodic sick leave because of such adverse reactions; and
WHEREAS, smoking is a potential cause of fires, and cigarette and cigar burns and ash stains on fixtures cause losses and other damage to property, including unsightly litter; and
WHEREAS, the CDC reports that smokeless tobacco use is hazardous to health and can lead to nicotine addiction, that smokeless tobacco contains at least 28 known carcinogens and causes oral, pancreatic, and esophageal cancer as well as other serious health problems such as gum disease, tooth decay, and mouth lesions; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of this ordinance is to protect the public health, safety, and welfare by pro...
Click here for full text