Smokefree Parks and Smokefree Parks and Recreation Areas:Recreation Areas:

Improving Maryland’s Public Improving Maryland’s Public HealthHealth

Center for Tobacco Regulation, Litigation Center for Tobacco Regulation, Litigation & Advocacy& Advocacy

University of Maryland School of LawUniversity of Maryland School of Law500 West Baltimore Street500 West Baltimore Street

Baltimore, Maryland 21201Baltimore, Maryland 21201(410) 706-1294 phone; (410) 706-2184 fax(410) 706-1294 phone; (410) 706-2184 fax

kdachille@law.umaryland.edukdachille@law.umaryland.edu

Presentation OutlinePresentation Outline Adverse public health and Adverse public health and

environmental impacts of tobacco use environmental impacts of tobacco use in public parks and recreation areasin public parks and recreation areas Secondhand smoke as a known human Secondhand smoke as a known human

carcinogen/toxincarcinogen/toxin Additional health risks to childrenAdditional health risks to children Cigarette litter as a pollutant and threat to Cigarette litter as a pollutant and threat to

wildlifewildlife Tobacco use as a cause of unnecessary firesTobacco use as a cause of unnecessary fires

Smokefree parks around the U.S.Smokefree parks around the U.S. State of MarylandState of Maryland

Impact on the StateImpact on the State Current smokefree initiativesCurrent smokefree initiatives Benefits of smokefree parks and recreation areasBenefits of smokefree parks and recreation areas

Secondhand SmokeSecondhand Smoke Also known as environmental Also known as environmental

tobacco smoke (ETS)tobacco smoke (ETS) Contains over 4,000 chemicals, Contains over 4,000 chemicals,

including toxins like including toxins like formaldehyde, benzene, vinyl formaldehyde, benzene, vinyl chloride, arsenic, ammonia, chloride, arsenic, ammonia, and hydrogen cyanide and hydrogen cyanide

Listed by the U.S. EPA as a Listed by the U.S. EPA as a Group A human carcinogenGroup A human carcinogen

Known cause of respiratory Known cause of respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cardiovascular disease, and premature death disease, and premature death in nonsmokersin nonsmokers

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, “There According to the U.S. Surgeon General, “There is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke” for adults or children (June 2006) smoke” for adults or children (June 2006)

Annual cost of medical care, mortality, and Annual cost of medical care, mortality, and morbidity from ETS exposure in the U.S. is morbidity from ETS exposure in the U.S. is around $10 billionaround $10 billion

ETS is particularly harmful to infants and ETS is particularly harmful to infants and young children, causing increased incidence of: young children, causing increased incidence of: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Chronic ear infectionsChronic ear infections Bronchitis, pneumonia, and severe asthma attacks Bronchitis, pneumonia, and severe asthma attacks

Secondhand Smoke Secondhand Smoke (ETS)(ETS)

is a Public Health is a Public Health ThreatThreat

Tobacco Use in Outdoor Tobacco Use in Outdoor Public Spaces Poses Public Spaces Poses

Additional Health RisksAdditional Health Risksfor Children for Children

Ingesting discarded Ingesting discarded cigarette butts can lead cigarette butts can lead to: to: chokingchoking burnsburns nicotine poisoningnicotine poisoning vomitingvomiting irregular heartbeatirregular heartbeat seizures seizures

Contributes to children’s Contributes to children’s perceptions that smoking perceptions that smoking is acceptable behavioris acceptable behavior

Cigarette Litter PollutesCigarette Litter Pollutes

Cigarette butts are the most Cigarette butts are the most common form of littercommon form of litter

Cigarette filters break down Cigarette filters break down slowly and never fully biodegradeslowly and never fully biodegrade

Nearly 80% of cigarette butts Nearly 80% of cigarette butts wind up in human water systemswind up in human water systems

State and local governments State and local governments spend money to remove cigarette spend money to remove cigarette butt litterbutt litter

Tourists tend to avoid litter-filled Tourists tend to avoid litter-filled areas, resulting in lost revenueareas, resulting in lost revenue

Animals mistake cigarette Animals mistake cigarette butts for foodbutts for food

Ingesting butts, packaging, Ingesting butts, packaging, and cartons causes and cartons causes starvation, strangulation, starvation, strangulation, nicotine poisoning, and death nicotine poisoning, and death

Chemicals released from Chemicals released from cigarette butts into water are cigarette butts into water are lethal to critically important lethal to critically important plankton-like animalsplankton-like animals

Tobacco Use in Parks

Injures Wildlife

Yellowstone National Park (1988)Yellowstone National Park (1988) More than 630 square miles burned More than 630 square miles burned Caused by discarded cigaretteCaused by discarded cigarette

National Parks superintendents may National Parks superintendents may designate portions of parklands as “closed designate portions of parklands as “closed to smoking when necessary to protect park to smoking when necessary to protect park resources, reduce the risk of fire, or prevent resources, reduce the risk of fire, or prevent conflicts among visitor use activities.”conflicts among visitor use activities.”

Tobacco Use in Parks Tobacco Use in Parks Causes Unnecessary FiresCauses Unnecessary Fires

Smokefree Areas around the Smokefree Areas around the U.S.U.S.

Most states and the federal government Most states and the federal government have passed laws prohibiting smoking have passed laws prohibiting smoking indoorsindoors

Numerous municipalities and states are Numerous municipalities and states are prohibiting smoking in outdoor spaces prohibiting smoking in outdoor spaces

Outdoor ordinances include bans on Outdoor ordinances include bans on smoking at public sports and recreation smoking at public sports and recreation venues, playgrounds, parks, beaches, and venues, playgrounds, parks, beaches, and public gardenspublic gardens

State of the State:State of the State:Impact of Tobacco Use on Impact of Tobacco Use on

MarylandMaryland $597 million in heath care costs due to $597 million in heath care costs due to

ETS exposure; $73.8 million of which ETS exposure; $73.8 million of which went to children’s health care (2005)went to children’s health care (2005)

Smoking-related litter = 8 % of debris Smoking-related litter = 8 % of debris recovered in 2005 International Coastal recovered in 2005 International Coastal Cleanup; cigarette butts alone = 7% of Cleanup; cigarette butts alone = 7% of totaltotal

Cigarette-caused fires in 57 public Cigarette-caused fires in 57 public park/recreation areas = 61.9 acres of park/recreation areas = 61.9 acres of burned forest land (2006); accounted burned forest land (2006); accounted for 6 to 8 % of all wildfires (2005-07)for 6 to 8 % of all wildfires (2005-07)

Maryland State and Local Maryland State and Local InitiativesInitiatives

Most counties ban tobacco use on school groundsMost counties ban tobacco use on school grounds Five counties restrict tobacco use in outdoor Five counties restrict tobacco use in outdoor

parks, recreation areas, ball fields, and public parks, recreation areas, ball fields, and public common areascommon areas

Clean Indoor Air Act of 2007—smoking in public Clean Indoor Air Act of 2007—smoking in public indoor areas prohibited as of February 1, 2008indoor areas prohibited as of February 1, 2008

Making Maryland Public Parks Making Maryland Public Parks andand

Recreation Areas Smokefree Recreation Areas Smokefree Would:Would:

Reduce public exposure to ETS and its negative Reduce public exposure to ETS and its negative health effectshealth effects

Prevent children from viewing smoking as Prevent children from viewing smoking as normative behaviornormative behavior

Lower the number of cigarette butts discarded Lower the number of cigarette butts discarded Reduce costs associated with cleanupReduce costs associated with cleanup Reinforce the Maryland Park Service’s “trash-free parks” Reinforce the Maryland Park Service’s “trash-free parks”

programprogram Reduce the risk of smoking-related firesReduce the risk of smoking-related fires Protect wildlifeProtect wildlife

Thank YouThank You

Any Questions?Any Questions?