HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-06-25 12-224 RESOLVECOUNCIL ACTION
Item No. 12-224
Date: June 25, 2012
Item/Subject: Resolve, Promoting and Supporting a Tobacco Free Environment for All
Citizens, Visitors, and Employees
Responsible Department: Health and Community Services
Commentary: This purpose of this resolve is to demonstrate City support to collaborate with
the Public Health Advisory Board and other public health organizations to advocate for tobacco
free policies and environments. Its primary of this resolve is to focus City support for the goal
that all residents, visitors and employees should be able to breathe clean air and live, work and
play in tobacco free environments. This resolve is a general statement expressing the City's
support for a tobacco free environment and does not enact any specific limitations or bans
through its adoption. Any such recommendations will be made in the future.
This Resolve has been reviewed and unanimously approved by the Public Health Advisory Board;
the City's Employee Wellness Committee and has the endorsement of the Department of Health
and Community Services. This Resolve was reviewed and unanimously recommended for
approval by the Government Operations Committee on June 12"'.
Manager's Comments: Recommend Approval
Department Head
City Manager
Associated Information:
Budget Approval:
Resolve, Informational Sheet
Finance Director
Legal Approval:
Solicitor
Introduced for
X Passage
First Reading Page _ of _
Referral
Assigned to Blanchette
CITY OF BANGOR
12-224
JUNE 25, 2012
(TITLE.) Resolve, Promoting and Supporting a Tobacco Free Environment for All Citizens,
Visitors, and Employees
BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BANGOR:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the attached Resolve is hereby adopted and approved which
states, in summary, that the City promotes and supports the goal that all residents, visitors, and
employees deserve to breathe clean air, live, work, and play in tobacco free environments and
that the City will collaborate with other partners to advocate for tobacco free policies and
environments.
IN CITY COUNCIL
June 25, 2012
Motion made and seconded for Passage
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12-224
JUNE 25, 2012
CITY OF BANGOR
RESOLVE, PROMOTING AND SUPPORTING A TOBACCO - FREE
ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL CITIZENS, VISITORS, AND EMPLOYEES
WHEREAS, the city of Bangor is committed to the vision of a community promoting and
supporting wellness and enhancing quality of life for its citizens, visitors, and employees, which
contributes to Bangor being a safe and healthy place to live, work and play; and
WHEREAS, the Bangor City Council in 2007 provided leadership by adopting the first
municipal smoke-free vehicle law in Maine protecting our children; and
WHEREAS, the Federal CDC states that tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of
death and disease in the U.S. and Maine; and
WHEREAS, the Environmental Protection Agency has classified secondhand smoke as a class
A carcinogen, the most toxic class of chemicals known to cause cancer; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Surgeon General stated in a 2006 report that there is "no safe level of
exposure to second-hand smoke", and
WHEREAS, tobacco use and tobacco smoke exposure is a serious health risk to all people,
especially infants, children, pregnant women and the elderly; and increases a non-smokers risk
for diseases such as asthma, heart disease, and lung cancer; and
WHEREAS, smoking materials are the leading cause of home and total fire deaths in the United
States and in Maine; and
WHEREAS, there is no ventilation system effective in removing cancer causing chemicals
contained in second-hand smoke; and
WHERAS, surveys suggest that the majority of people in Maine prefer to live in smoke-free
environments; and
WHEREAS, tobacco -use and exposure to secondhand smoke are contrary to enhancing quality
of life and providing safe environments for citizens, visitors and employees; and
WHEREAS, the economic burden of cigarette use includes more than $193 billion annually in
health care costs and loss of productivity, according to a U. S. Surgeon General 2010 report.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BANGOR CITY COUNCIL THAT:
The City of Bangor does hereby promote and support the goal that all residents, visitors, and
employees deserve to breathe clean air; live, work, and play in tobacco free environments; and
that the City of Bangor will collaborate with the Public Health Advisory Board and other public
health organizations to advocate for tobacco free policies and environments.