(Newark Valley, NY) – The Newark Valley Village Board has passed a 100% comprehensive smoke-free municipal grounds policy. The policy was approved at the May 10 board meeting and will prohibit use of all tobacco, cannabis, and vaping products at all village owned properties, structures, ballfields and play areas within the village.
Jim Tornatore says, “During my generation in the 1950’s, smoking was a rite of passage. We knew it was dangerous, but it did not matter, we were young and unafraid. Those who did not stop smoking, and were less lucky, ended up suffering from COPD, asthma, coronary disorders, lung cancer and sadly, death. We see this information and so do our younger and more aware Trustees. For these reasons, we believe it is necessary to adopt a 100% Smoke Free Policy on any land parcels owned by our Village of Newark Valley to protect our constituents.”
“We want to thank the Village of Newark Valley for implementing a comprehensive smoke-free policy to protect their community members from the dangers of second-hand smoke exposure. Our 2021 local Community Tobacco Survey found that 61.2% of Tioga County residents support restricting or eliminating smoking in outdoor public places such as parks, outdoor recreation areas and playgrounds while 65.2% support prohibiting smoking on the grounds of public buildings and workplaces, so this is a win for Tioga County residents.” said Laura Kelly, Tobacco Free Broome and Tioga Community Engagement Coordinator.
According to the Surgeon General of the United States, there is no safe level of secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, including cancer-causing agents. It causes premature death and disease in children and adults who do not smoke and causes immediate damage to the cardiovascular system. Even low levels of secondhand smoke can lead to disease and death.
Updated Smoke-Free signage has been provided to the village by Tobacco Free Broome and Tioga. For more information on implementing smoke-free policies or on quitting smoking, visit http://tobaccofreebt.org/ or contact the Broome County Health Department at 607.778.3928 .
