Smoke Free Parks
Smoking is prohibited at all HE Parks properties, except for Bridges of Poplar Creek Country Club. All facilities and parks are now smoke free, including electric cigarettes. This ban was put in place because establishing a smoke-free park system directly supports its mission “to provide healthy and enjoyable activities” in its facilities and parks. HE Parks made the decision because the effects of smoking and secondhand smoke are the cause of many diseases and health conditions leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths annually.
The Park Board of Commissioners felt that this step was necessary to fully encourage a healthy lifestyle for all our residents.
The Grim Statistics
The health effects of smoking and secondhand smoke exposure are numerous. Here are some facts, according to the American Lung Association and the Centers for Disease Control. (Sources: Lung.org and CDC.gov)
- Smoking causes death. More than 438,000 Americans die every year from smoking. Yet, these deaths can be avoided. Death by smoking is the leading cause of preventable death by such diseases as cardiovascular disease and lung cancer.
- Secondhand smoke causes death. More than 41,000 people die from exposure to secondhand smoke each year. These deaths also can be prevented.
- Smoke increases illnesses in children. Kids exposed to secondhand smoke suffer more illnesses during their childhood, including asthma and ear infections.
- Smoking increases SIDS in infants. Exposure to secondhand smoke increases healthy infants’ risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
- Smoking generates pollution. Millions of cigarette butts are littered each year across the country.
