Letter: Village of Spencer adopts smoke-free policy

Dear Editor,

This fall, the Village of Spencer adopted a comprehensive smoke-free policy, meaning the use of cigarettes, cannabis, and vaping is banned on village-owned grounds. On behalf of the Tioga County Advocacy, Support, and Prevention (ASAP) Coalition, we congratulate the Village of Spencer and our partners at Tobacco Free Broome Tioga for this accomplishment!

According to the 2023 Tioga County Community-Level Youth Development Evaluation (CLYDE), the laws and community norms (what’s seen around the community) favorable toward drug use remain one of the top four risk factors for Tioga County youth. Despite this, according to the 2023 Broome and Tioga Community Tobacco Survey, 65% of Tioga County residents are in favor of smoke-free policies for public buildings and workplaces.

Smoke-free policies protect people from secondhand smoke exposure. The U.S. Surgeon General determined there was no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke. Even in outdoor spaces, a person would need to be 20-29 feet away from a smoker to be free from secondhand smoke exposure. To put that into perspective, that’s the same size as a two-lane road. Exposure to electronic device aerosols from vapes also has risks to respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

Smoke-free policies have additional preventative benefits. Smoke-free policies can prevent, or delay, smoking initiation. Communities with smoke-free policies show youth there’s lower social acceptability of smoking and there’s less opportunity for youth to see role models smoking. Smoke-free laws can also make it easier for people to quit smoking and reduce the risk of heart disease among community members.

The Tioga ASAP Coalition would encourage any municipal entity to consider adopting these policies. For more information on Tobacco Free Broome Tioga and smoke-free policies, visit their website at https://tobaccofreebt.org/.

Sincerely,

Kristin Russell

Tioga County Public Health Educator