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Frequently Asked Questions about Tobacco-Free Policies for Park Areas in Minnesota Yn+W.anbrcth.a+g *hat is current Minnesota state law on In addition to signs, cities notify their community smoking outdoors? members in a variety of ways: local media, city There is currently no state law that regulates tobacco newsletters, policy reminder cards, recreation program use in outdoor areas. brochures, policy statements sent to sports associations, and coaches'trainings. Are local governments able to enact policies restricting tobacco use? Are existing policies working? Neither federal nor state law prohibits local governments Yes! According to a 2004 University of Minnesota survey from regulating tobacco use outdoors.' of Minnesota park directors in cities with such policies, 88% of park directors reported no change in park usage What is the difference between a park (no loss of park users), 71% reported less smoking in policy and an ordinance? parks, and 58% reported cleaner park areas. In general, park policies are rules regarding city-owned What effect do tobacco-free park policies park property that are established by the city park board have on youth? and are often approved by the city council. Generally, Research has not been completed on this particular those who ignore park policies do not receive a fine, but topic, but in general, tobacco-free policies help prevent are asked to refrain from using tobacco or leave the youth tobacco use, particularly by providing adults the premises. opportunity to be tobacco-free role models throughout City ordinances are city council enactments that regulate the community.3 people or property and carry a penalty such as a fine for What other benefits result from tobacco- violations. Ordinances often originate 2from a free policies? recommendation passed by the city park board. Cigarette filters are not biodegradable, so they do not Or both park policies and city ordinances, tobacco use decay and cannot be absorbed by the environment. A Is prohibited on city park property. policy reduces park and beach litter and protects toddlers from ingesting filters that are discarded. In Should a policy cover all property and Minnesota, smoking-related debris accounted for 52% of activities or just youth events? total debris during a 2003 coastal cleanup.4 In Minnesota, both types of policies exist, but the recent Will policies keep some people from using trend is toward "all property" policies because they may be simpler for citizens to understand, rather than to city parks? determine which activities qualify as"youth events." Tobacco-free policies for public park areas ensure that all citizens have a healthy recreational environment. How do other Minnesota cities and People go to parks to exercise or relax, not to use townships enforce their policies? tobacco. Smokers work, shop, travel, and reside in Minnesota cities and townships with tobacco-free park smoke-free environments every day. No court hasdetermined that smoking is a constitutionally protected policies post signs in their park areas that announce the rights policy. These signs provide cities with the ability to rely on community and self-enforcement. Many tobacco Aren't tobacco-free policies for parks a users look for"no tobacco"signs. These signs empower needless regulation? everyone using the parks to provide friendly reminders about the policy to violators. Signs also help to eliminate These policies are similar to those prohibiting alcohol the need for any law enforcement presence. The and litter or requiring that pets be leashed. It is the majority of Minnesota cities with policies have received duty of policy makers to enact policies that protect the their signs free of charge from Tobacco-Free Youth health of their citizens. Recreation. 3 Perry,C.(1999).Creating Health Behavior Change:How to Develop Community-Wide Programs for Youth.Thousand Oaks,CA:Sage Publications. Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch.(5/4/00).Legal opinion letter to Peter °The Ocean Conservancy.(2004). International Coastal Cleanup 2003 Vogel. Minnesota Summary Report.[Online].Available:http://www.roastateleanup.org. 2 League of Minnesota Cities.(2003).Handbookfor Minnesota Cities.[Online]. 5 Tobacco Control Legal Consortium.(2004)."Legal Authority to Regulate Available:http://www.Imnc.org[handbook/chaptcrO7.pdf. Smoking and Common Legal Threats and Challenges." April 2005