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Ordinance supplementing the Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances, Title IV: Public Places and Property, Article XI: Parks and Playgrounds, Chapter 473: Use Regulations, § 473.05 - Behavior; by adding new language designating parks and playgrounds as “Tobacco-Free”.
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WHEREAS, in Pennsylvania, more than 858,000 young people are exposed to tobacco smoke pollution every day; and
WHEREAS, the US Surgeon General has stated that there is NO SAFE LEVEL OF EXPOSURE, whether indoors or outdoors, and that children's exposure to second-hand smoke causes increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome, lower respiratory infections, middle ear diseases, more severe asthma, respiratory symptoms and slowed lung growth and is responsible for the premature deaths of over 430,000 Americans each year from lung cancer, heart disease, respiratory illness and other diseases; and
WHERAS, secondhand smoke is responsible for over 50,000 deaths among nonsmokers each year; and
WHEREAS, tobacco kills more Americans each year than alcohol, cocaine, heroin, homicide, and suicide, accidents, fire and AIDS combined; and
WHEREAS, 80% of smokers started smoking before the age of 18, and the average initiation age is 12 years old; and
WHEREAS, everyday and estimated 3,900 young people under the age of 18 try their first cigarette and one-third of these children will die prematurely from tobacco related illnesses; and
WHEREAS, to help role model non-smoking behavior to children and youth; to provide children, youth and their families with a safe, smoke-free environment;
The Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby enact as follows:
The Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances, Title IV: Public Places and Property, Article XI: Parks and Playgrounds, Chapter 473: Use Regulations, § 473.05 Behavior, is hereby supplemented as follows:
Section 1.
CHAPTER 473: Use Regulations
§ 473.05 - Behavior:
(h) Areas of parks and playgrounds where children are present ...
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