Breathe Freely at Parks, Playgrounds and Beaches

With the end of the school year upon us and summer officially here, this is the time of year where beach-goers will be packing the beaches and both kids and adults will be utilizing Long Islands parks and playgrounds. These outdoor recreational areas should be places that people can breathe fresh air and exercise smoke free. Exposure to outdoor secondhand smoke in these areas can be hazardous. The U. S. Environmental Agency has classified secondhand smoke as a Class A Carcinogen placing it in the same category as radon, benzene, and asbestos.

“Because children’s lungs are smaller” said Paulette Orlando, Tobacco Action Coalition, “they breath in 50% more air pollution than an adult making them more susceptible to the dangers associated with tobacco use even if outdoors”. Since cigarette butts are such a common form of litter, especially at beach cleanups, they pose a threat to the health of young children. Small children who tend to pick up items off the ground and place them in their mouths are at risk of poisoning themselves by ingesting a cigarette butt.
While progress has been made in New York State to lower smoking rates, Tobacco use remains the number one preventable cause of death in the U.S. and more than 28,000 New York lives are lost each year from smoking-related illness. Currently over 480 municipalities in New York State have passed regulations making outdoor recreational areas a healthier environment for families and individuals to enjoy.
Visit http://www.tobaccofreenys.org/... to find out if your community is on the list.