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~ Playing Tobacco free: Tobacco-Free Policies For Outdoor Recreation Fa Tobacco-free outdoor recreation facilities make sense . Secondhand smoke harms everyone and kills thousands every year. Exposure to secondhand smoke is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States, killing approximately 53,000 people every year. Secondhand smoke is harmful in outdoor settings. According to Repace Associates, secondhand smoke levels in outdoor public places can reach levels as high as those found in indoor facilities where smoking is permitted. Tobacco-free policies help change community norms. Tobacco-free policies establish the community norm that tobacco use is not an acceptable behavior for young people or adults within the entire community. Most Minnesota parents support tobacco-free policies for outdoor playgrounds. A 1998 survey showed that 68% of Minnesota parents support smoking bans in outdoor playgrounds and 80% support a ban in all public places where children are present. . Why are tobacco-free policies for outdoor recreation facilities so important? . City-wide policies support groups that have existing policies when they are using city recreation facilities. Since most school districts prohibit tobacco use in all their facilities, city-wide policies create consistency for all youth recreational facilities in the community. Cigarette butts cause litter, increase maintenance expenses, and pose the risk of ingestion by toddlers using recreation facilities. Creating tobacco- free environments protects the health, safety, and welfare of the community. .. . . Why are tobacco-free policies effective? . Policies reinforce to youth the message that tobacco use is unhealthy and unnecessary behavior. Policies ensure that participants and spectators are not exposed to secondhand smoke. Policies create an environment where leaders can model and promote healthy lifestyle choices. . . The Tobacco-Free Youth Recreatiol Tobacco-Free Youth Recreation (TFYR) is M wide recreation-based tobacco prevention prol recreational groups in promoting healthy tobacc TFYR offers assistance in tobacco-free policy d implementation and also develops materials tha tobacco-free sports message throughout Minnl Policy adoption assistc & FREE signs available throl TFYR offers city park & recreation departrn assistance in tobacco-free policy developmen policy implementation, TFYR provides 12" x & white tobacco-free signs for FREE to Min adopt comprehensive tobacco-free policies f( recreational facilities (limit 100 per commll To qualify for the signs, the to bacco- free policy must include: . A list of all the facilities it covers. · A statement that all forms of tobacco use are prohibited. · An enforcement plan that includes a) user and staff notification; and b) signage. 1 Contact TFYR staff (see be/ow) for policy at Once a policy has been passed in your commUi the policy and a completed sign order form to an order form from our web site at <"www.ansr Minnesota Cities with Toba Outdoor Recreational Fal Aitkin Anoka Aurora Austin Baxter Biwablk Bloomington Brainerd Breckenridge Buhl Champlin Croquet Cohasset . Coon Rapids Crookston Duluth Eagan . Eagle Lake Eden Prairie Eveleth Faribault Golden Valley Grand Rapids . Hibblng Hoyt Lakes Int'j Falls Kent Luverne Mahtomedi . Maple Grove Marshall Monticello Morris . Mountain Iron . New Brighton Nwd Yng America . Association for Nonsmokers-. 2395 University Ave. West, :fI St. Paul, MN 55114-1512 (651) 646-3005; tfyr@ansrm $%"",*,,;g:;;~