Minutes 11-20-2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Your ordinance mentions the harmful effects of smoking in a car even with the windows open. Please don't rush to legislate something that will end up being more harmful. This is an unintended consequence of your proposed rule. Smokers are taxpayers, and remember they are part of the public in public health. A bit of smoke on a remote sidewalk is much less harmful than children having to endure smoke in a car. I highly doubt that prohibiting smoking in all the places mentioned in the rule, including all public sidewalks, will cause smokers to quit. There will be other negative results, if the sidewalk portion of the rule is not modified. Please consider limiting the sidewalk rule to areas where people might congregate, like at a bus stop. Thanks for your consideration. Terri Tyson 108 Telluride Trail Chapel Hill, NC 27514 919-923-2476 From: Melva Fager Okun (unable to attend but sent an email) I am so thankful that you are considering passing a tobacco-free public spaces ordinance for Orange County. I worked with every hospital in NC to pass tobacco-free campus policies & also helped with our schools going tobacco-free. This will protect everyone from the harmful effects of exposure to secondhand smoke and will encourage tobacco users to quit. I applaud you and strong urge you to pass such an ordinance. Melva Fager Okun DrPH NC Prevention Partners 919 969-7022 ext. 224 Follow NCPP on Twitter @ncprevention From: Don Stanford Phone Number: (919) 942-2889 Message: This isn't just the obvious and well-documented primary, secondary, and tertiary smoking problem. Apparently good research suggests that the average smoker consumes 10,000 cigarettes/year yielding about 3.75 Ibs of butts/smoker, most of which winds up as litter. This is the most common form of litter, and is extraordinarily toxic. Almost all cigarettes now have filters, and a cigarette filter takes 18 months to ten years (!) to decompose as its contents leach into the environment. And don't forget the house fire and wildfire problems - millions of dollars in unnecessary property damage, not to mention the lives damaged and lost. Please vote to ban smoking in public places. A motion was made by Commissioner Yuhasz, seconded by Commissioner Foushee to close the public hearing.