<div class="chunk-title">Sec. 17-91. - Findings and purpose.</div>
<div class="chunk-content">
            <p class="incr0">
               (a)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tobacco use and
               secondhand smoke exposure are leading preventable causes of illness and premature
               death in North Carolina and the nation.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (b)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               Healthy North Carolina 2020 Tobacco Use Objectives are: 1) decrease the percentage
               of adults who are current smokers, 2) decrease the percentage of high school students
               reporting current use of any tobacco product, and 3) decrease the percentage of people
               exposed to secondhand smoke in the workplace in the past seven days.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (c)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               The CDC advises that all individuals with coronary heart disease or known risk factors
               for coronary heart disease should avoid all indoor environments that permit smoking.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (d)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               Tobacco is a recognized carcinogen in humans, and health risks associated with the
               use of tobacco products include myocardial infarction, stroke, and adverse reproductive
               outcomes.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (e)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               In 2006, a report issued by the United States Surgeon General stated that the scientific
               evidence indicates that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke
               and that secondhand smoke has been proven to cause cancer, heart disease, and asthma
               attacks in both smokers and nonsmokers.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (f)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               The 2006 Surgeon General's report also determined that children exposed to secondhand
               smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory
               infections, ear problems, and more severe asthma; and that smoking by parents causes
               respiratory symptoms and slows lung growth in their children.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (g)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               Research indicates that, during active smoking, outdoor levels of secondhand smoke
               may be as high as indoor levels and may pose a health risk for people in close proximity
               (such as sitting next to someone on a park bench, or children accompanying a smoking
               parent or guardian).
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (h)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               The CDC reports that smoking and smokeless tobacco use are frequently initiated and
               established during adolescence, that most people who begin smoking during adolescence
               are addicted by the age of 20, and that adolescent smokeless tobacco users are more
               likely than nonusers to become adult cigarette smokers.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (i)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               Everyday an estimated 3,900 young people between 12 and 17 years of age try their
               first cigarette and an estimated 1,000 youth become daily cigarette smokers.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (j)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               Children model adult behavior and benefit from positive models of non-smoking behavior
               and positive reinforcement of healthy lifestyle messages through exposure to smoke
               free public areas.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (k)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               Environmental organizations, including Keep America Beautiful, the Ocean Conservancy,
               and NC Big Sweep, consistently report cigarette butts as a leading cause of litter.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (l)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               Small children playing in city athletic fields and playgrounds are more likely to
               ingest cigarette butts if they are discarded and accessible; and in 2008, American
               Poison Control Centers received over 7,000 reports of children under the age of six
               being poisoned by contact with tobacco products.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (m)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               The Durham County Health Department provides support to employees and residents who
               want to quit the use of tobacco products. Employees and residents are also encouraged
               to talk to their health care provider about quitting; ask about appropriate pharmacotherapy
               available through their health insurance plan or employee's insurer and to use the
               free quitting support services of the North Carolina Tobacco Use Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW
               (1-800-784-8669).
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (n)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               On January 2, 2010, "An Act To Prohibit Smoking in Certain Public Places and Certain
               Places of Employment," North Carolina Session Law 2009-27, became effective, authorizing
               local governments to adopt and enforce ordinances "that are more restrictive than
               state law and that apply in local government buildings, on local government grounds,
               in local vehicles, or in public places."
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (o)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               Pursuant to G.S. 130A-39(a), local boards of health have the responsibility to protect
               and promote the public's health and to adopt rules necessary for that purpose.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (p)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               The Durham County Board of Health wishes to minimize the harmful effects of tobacco
               use among Durham County and the City of Durham employees and eliminate secondhand
               smoke exposure for employees and the public in certain buildings and grounds controlled
               by the county and city.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (q)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               The Durham County Board of Health is committed to protecting the health of children
               and adults on city athletic fields and playgrounds by eliminating exposure to secondhand
               smoke and providing an environment that decreases the likelihood of children ingesting
               cigarette butts.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (r)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               In 2015 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that emitted e-cigarette
               aerosol is not just water vapor, but contains nicotine and can contain additional
               toxins, making it less safe than clean air. E-cigarette use has the potential to involuntarily
               expose children and adolescents, pregnant women, and non-users to aerosolized nicotine
               and, if the products are altered, to other psychoactive substances. Therefore, clean
               air (free of both smoke and e-cigarette aerosol) remains the standard to protect health.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (s)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               Because some e-cigarettes are designed to mimic smoking, allowing e-cigarette use
               in places where smoking is prohibited could complicate enforcement of smoke-free policies
               and renormalize tobacco use.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (t)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               The 2016 Surgeon General's report on e-cigarette use among youth and young adults
               has stated that e-cigarettes use has become a public health concern and has recommended
               that e-cigarettes be included in smoke-free policies.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (u)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               Durham County and the City of Durham government buildings, health care facilities
               and health care facility grounds in Durham County, hospitals and hospital grounds
               in Durham County, and Durham County Schools are currently operating under smoke-free
               or tobacco-free policies; and this board finds and declares that, in order to protect
               the public health and welfare, it is in the best interest of the citizens of Durham
               County to expand these smoke-free policies by adopting a rule prohibiting smoking
               on Durham County grounds; on the City of Durham grounds; on the City of Durham's park
               system; in city or county bus stops; in the Durham Station Transportation Center and
               grounds; at the Durham Train Station and on all sidewalks as defined below.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="historynote0">
               (Ord. of 10-9-17(1), Â§ I)
               </p></div>